English Explanatory Dictionary

spur

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A rigid implement, often roughly y-shaped, that is fixed to one's heel for the purpose of prodding a horse. Often worn by, and emblematic of, the cowboy or the knight.
  2. A jab given with the spurs.
  3. Anything that inspires or motivates, as a spur does a horse.
  4. An appendage or spike pointing rearward, near the foot, for instance that of a rooster.
  5. Any protruding part connected at one end, for instance a highway that extends from another highway into a city.
  6. Roots, tree roots.
  7. A mountain that shoots from another mountain or range and extends some distance in a lateral direction, or at right angles.
  8. A spiked iron worn by seamen upon the bottom of the boot, to enable them to stand upon the carcass of a whale to strip off the blubber.
  9. A brace strengthening a post and some connected part, such as a rafter or crossbeam; a strut.
  10. The short wooden buttress of a post.
  11. A projection from the round base of a column, occupying the angle of a square plinth upon which the base rests, or bringing the bottom bed of the base to a nearly square form. It is generally carved in leafage.
  12. Ergotized rye or other grain.
verb
  1. To prod (especially a horse) on the side or flank, with the intent to urge motion or haste, to gig.
  2. To urge or encourage to action, or to a more vigorous pursuit of an object
  3. To put spurs on.
  4. To press forward; to travel in great haste.
  5. To form a spur (senses 17-18 of the noun)
noun
  1. A tern.
noun
  1. A spurious tone, one that interferes with a signal in a circuit and is often masked underneath that signal.
noun
  1. The track of an animal, such as an otter; a spoor.
verb
  1. Alternative form of speer.
name
  1. An occupational surname from Middle English
noun
  1. someone connected with Tottenham Hotspur FC, as a fan, player, coach etc.

Pronunciation

/spɜː/ /spɝ/ en-us-spur.ogg /spʌr/ /spøː/ /speː/ /spɛː/ /spɜː(ɹ)/

Word forms

spur spurs spurring spurred

Etymology

From Middle English spure, spore, from Old English spora, spura, from Proto-West Germanic *spurō, from Proto-Germanic *spurô, from Proto-Indo-European *sperH- (“to kick”).

Synonyms

incite stimulate instigate impel drive abet actuate goose light a fire under send sting bring about cheer draw encourage egg on engender evoke excite foment goad grill ignite induce inflame invoke lash motive motivate move obligate oblige push promote prompt provoke rouse set off spark off spur spur on stir stir up stoke tempt urge whet whip up Spoor Spoore Spoores Spoors Spor Spore Spores Spors Spurr Spurs

Derived words

bone spur cockspur footspur forespur great spur wheel hotspur knight's spur larkspur longspur mastspore Prince of Wales spur sandspur spur cell spurdog spurflower spurfowl spurgall spur gear spur gearing spur-heeled spur leather spur-leather spurless spurlet spurlike spurmaker spurmaking spur-of-the-moment spur of the moment spurrier spur road spur-royal spur-shell spur-throated grasshopper spur-throated locust spur valerian spur-way spur-wheel spurwing spurwinged spur-winged spur-winged goose spur-winged lapwing spur-winged plover spurwort twinspur under-spur-leather whip and spur spurrer spur on
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