spur
spur (spʉr)
noun
- any of various pointed devices worn on the heel by the rider of a horse and used to urge the horse forward
- anything that urges, impels, or incites; stimulus to action
- something like a spur; specif.,
- a spinelike process, as on the wings or legs of certain birds
- a spinelike outgrowth of bone, as on the human heel, resulting from injury, disease, etc.
- a climbing iron, as used by lumberjacks
- a sharp metal device attached as a weapon to the leg of a gamecock in a cockfight
- a short, stunted, or projecting branch or shoot of a tree, etc.
- a range or ridge projecting in a lateral direction from the main mass of a mountain or mountain range
- griffe
- a buttress, as of masonry, or any similar structure
- a short wooden reinforcing piece; brace; strut
- spur track
- Bot. a slender, tubelike structure formed by a basal extension of one or more petals or sepals, often serving as a nectar receptacle; calcar
Etymology: ME spure < OE spura, akin to Ger sporn < IE base *sp(h)er-, to jerk, push with the foot > spurn, Sans sphurāti, (he) kicks away, L spernere, lit., to push away
transitive verb spurred, spur′·ring
- to strike or prick with a spur or spurs
- to urge, incite, or stimulate to action, greater effort, etc.
- to provide with a spur or spurs
- to strike or injure as with a spur (sense )
intransitive verb
- to spur one's horse
- to hurry; hasten
on the spur of the moment
hastily and abruptly; without forethought or preparation
win one's spurs
to attain distinction or honor, esp. for the first time; establish one's reputation
spur
v.
on the spur of the moment
Object
- tortoise: I bought a greek spur thighed tortoise 3 years ago.
- scam: From the us receive the random were eligible for scams spurred by.
- innovation: Among the programs BP established to spur innovation was a series of action learning events.
- growth: Work begins on The Environmental Audit report with WWF, which helps spur rapid growth in environmental auditing.
- boss: Spurs boss Martin Jol accuses Man City's David Sommeil of making one of the " worst tackles ever " .
- fan: I don't remember spurs fans ever taking the Shed or even trying to.
Converse of object
- fuse: The drying room, charger and nearby sockets are on a fused spur from the ring main.
- connect: There is a connecting spur into Bishop Auckland station - the terminus of the ' Heritage Line ' passenger service from Darlington.
Adjective modifier
- calcaneal: Furthermore, calcaneal spurs are common incidental ( asymptomatic ) findings.
- bony: The bone at the edge of the joint grows outwards ( this forms osteophytes or bony spurs ).
- rocky: Cuidad Rodrigo stands on a rocky spur overlooking the banks of the River Agueda.
- eastern: The eastern spur of the railroad over to Rae's Wharf.
- sharp: In fact, it is a shelf of bone, not a sharp spur.
- northern: A northern spur of the state, the Northwest Angle, contains a portion of Lake of the Woods.
Modifies a noun
- gear: The project will use experimental data from a spur gear set.
- wheel: The turbine then drove the spur wheel directly by means of a cast iron gear.
Noun used with modifier
- heel: How can I run with a painful heel spur?
- bone: I've been told my pain is caused by a bone spur.
Preposition: of
Danger, the spur of all great minds.
Publicity is the very soul of justice. It is the keenest spur to exertion, and thesurest of allguardsagainst improbity.
Browse dictionary entries near spur
- spunky
- spunk
- spun yarn
- spun sugar
- spun silk
- spun glass
- spun
- spumoni
- spumescent
- spume
- spur gear
- spur track
- spurge
- spurge laurel
- spurious
- spurn
- spurred
- spurrier
- spurry
- spurt
