Our ancestors had three verbs and three corresponding substantives to
express the growth of plants, namely, _spring_, _shoot_, and _sprout_,--all
indicative of rapidity of growth; for _sprout_, (Germ. _spriessen_) is akin
to _spurt_, and denotes quickness, suddenness. The only one of these which
remains in general use is _shoot_: for _sprout_ is now only appropriated to
the young growth from cabbage-stalks; and _spring_ is heard no more save in
_sprig_, which is evidently a corruption of it, and which now denotes a
small slip or twig as we say, sprigs of laurel, bay, thyme, mint, rosemary,
&c.
Of the original meaning of _spring_, I have met but one clear instance; it
is, however, an incontrovertible one, namely,
"Whoso spareth the _spring_ (_i. e._ rod, switch), spilleth his
children."--_Visions of Piers Plowman_, v. 2554., ed. Wright.