Heavens! what a spring was in his arm!
Dryden.
4. An elastic body of any kind, as steel, India rubber, tough wood, or
compressed air, used for various mechanical purposes, as receiving and
imparting power, diminishing concussion, regulating motion, measuring
weight or other force.
The principal varieties of springs used in mechanisms are the spiral
spring (Fig. a), the coil spring (Fig. b), the elliptic spring (Fig.
c), the half- elliptic spring (Fig. d), the volute spring, the
India-rubber spring, the atmospheric spring, etc.
5. Any source of supply; especially, the source from which a stream
proceeds; as issue of water from the earth; a natural fountain. "All my
springs are in thee." Ps. lxxxvii. 7. "A secret spring of spiritual
joy." Bentley. "The sacred spring whence and honor streams." Sir J.
Davies.
6. Any active power; that by which action, or motion, is produced or
propagated; cause; origin; motive.
Our author shuns by vulgar springs to move The hero's glory, or the
virgin's love.
Pope.
7. That which springs, or is originated, from a source; as: (a) A race;
lineage. [Obs.] Chapman. (b) A youth; a springal. [Obs.] Spenser. (c) A
shoot; a plant; a young tree; also, a grove of trees; woodland. [Obs.]
Spenser. Milton.
8. That which causes one to spring; specifically, a lively tune. [Obs.]
Beau. & Fl.
9. The season of the year when plants begin to vegetate and grow; the
vernal season, usually comprehending the months of March, April, and
May, in the middle latitudes north of the equator. "The green lap of
the new-come spring." Shak.
Spring of the astronomical year begins with the vernal equinox, about
March 21st, and ends with the summer solstice, about June 21st.
10. The time of growth and progress; early portion; first stage. "The
spring of the day." 1 Sam. ix. 26.
O how this spring of love resembleth The uncertain glory of an
April day.
Shak.
11. (Naut.) (a) A crack or fissure in a mast or yard, running obliquely
or transversely. (b) A line led from a vessel's quarter to her cable so
that by tightening or slacking it she can be made to lie in any desired
position; a line led diagonally from the bow or stern of a vessel to
some point upon the wharf to which she is moored.
Air spring, Boiling spring, etc. See under Air, Boiling, etc. -- Spring
back (Bookbinding), a back with a curved piece of thin sheet iron or of
stiff pasteboard fastened to the inside, the effect of which is to make
the leaves of a book thus bound (as a ledger or other account or blank
book) spring up and lie flat. -- Spring balance, a contrivance for
measuring weight or force by the elasticity of a spiral spring of
steel. -- Spring beam, a beam that supports the side of a paddle box.
See Paddle beam, under Paddle, n. -- Spring beauty. (a) (Bot.) Any
plant of the genus Claytonia, delicate herbs with somewhat fleshy
leaves and pretty blossoms, appearing in springtime. (b) (Zoöl.) A
small, elegant American butterfly (Erora læta) which appears in spring.
The hind wings of the male are brown, bordered with deep blue; those of
the female are mostly blue. -- Spring bed, a mattress, under bed, or
bed bottom, in which springs, as of metal, are employed to give the
required elasticity. -- Spring beetle (Zoöl.), a snapping beetle; an
elater. -- Spring box, the box or barrel in a watch, or other piece of
mechanism, in which the spring is contained. -- Spring fly (Zoöl.), a
caddice fly; - - so called because it appears in the spring. -- Spring
grass (Bot.), a vernal grass. See under Vernal. -- Spring gun, a
firearm disharged by a spring, when this is trodden upon or is
otherwise moved. -- Spring hook (Locomotive Engines), one of the hooks
which fix the driving-wheel spring to the frame. -- Spring latch, a
latch that fastens with a spring. <! p. 1394 !> -- Spring lock, a lock
that fastens with a spring. -- Spring mattress, a spring bed. -- Spring
of an arch (Arch.) See Springing line of an arch, under Springing. --
Spring of pork, the lower part of a fore quarter, which is divided from
the neck, and has the leg and foot without the shoulder. [Obs.] Nares.
Sir, pray hand the spring of pork to me.
Gayton.
-- Spring pin (Locomotive Engines), an iron rod fitted between the
springs and the axle boxes, to sustain and regulate the pressure on the
axles. -- Spring rye, a kind of rye sown in the spring; -- in
distinction from winter rye, sown in autumn. -- Spring stay (Naut.), a
preventer stay, to assist the regular one. R. H. Dana, Jr. -- Spring
tide, the tide which happens at, or soon after, the new and the full
moon, and which rises higher than common tides. See Tide. -- Spring
wagon, a wagon in which springs are interposed between the body and the
axles to form elastic supports. -- Spring wheat, any kind of wheat sown
in the spring; -- in distinction from winter wheat, which is sown in
autumn.
{ Spring"al (?), Spring"ald (?), Spring"all (?) }, a. [Scot. springald,
springel, fr. Scot. & E. spring.] An active, springly young man. [Obs.]
"There came two springals of full tender years." Spenser.
Joseph, when he was sold to Potiphar, that great man, was a fair
young springall.
Latimer.
Spring"al, n. [OF. espringale; of Teutonic origin, akin to E. spring.]
An ancient military engine for casting stones and arrows by means of a
spring.
Spring"board` (?), n. An elastic board, secured at the ends, or at one
end, often by elastic supports, used in performing feats of agility or
in exercising.
{ ||Spring"bok` (?), Spring"buck` (?) }, n. [D. springbok; springen to
spring, leap + bok a he-goat, buck.] (Zoöl.) A South African gazelle
(Gazella euchore) noted for its graceful form and swiftness, and for
its peculiar habit of springing lighty and suddenly into the air. It
has a white dorsal stripe, expanding into a broad patch of white on the
rump and tail. Called also springer. [Written also springboc, and
springbock.]
Springe (?), n. [From Spring, v. i.: cf. G. sprenkel, Prov. E.
springle.] A noose fastened to an elastic body, and drawn close with a
sudden spring, whereby it catches a bird or other animal; a gin; a
snare.
As a woodcock to mine own springe.
Shak.