sprign.1
/sprɪɡ/, U.S. /sprɪɡ/, Australian English /sprɪɡ/, New Zealand English /sprɪɡ/ 1. A type of small nail, typically headless or with a very small head, and consequently capable of being driven in far enough not to be visible on the surface; spec. (in early use) a wedge-shaped, headless nail of this sort; (now usually) a slender, square-bodied nail with a slight head or lip on one side; = brad n. 1. Chiefly North American in later use (now rare except in sprig nail n.). Cf. prig n.1In Middle English frequently with unmarked plural.
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society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > fastenings > [noun] > nail > small and slender
sprig1295
prig1343
sprig nail1377
1295 in L. F. Salzman Building in Eng. (1952) 313 (MED) Clavorum de sprig ad lath'.
1426–7 in H. Littlehales Medieval Rec. London City Church (1905) 65 Also for vc sprygge þe same day iiij d.
1480 Wardrobe Accts. Edward IV in N. H. Nicolas Privy Purse Expenses Elizabeth of York (1830) 122 To Piers Draper for Ml sprigge price vj d.
1552 Churchwardens' Accts. St. Michaels, Cornhill (MS) For nayles and sprygs to the setting up of the new pewe.
1653 H. Holcroft tr. Procopius Gothick Warre iii. 97 in tr. Procopius Hist. Warres Justinian They fit to one another the blunt ends of foure Iron sprigs, of equall length.
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory iii. 51 Brad is a Nail without a head to floor Rooms withall; it is with us termed a Sprig, and is about the size of a ten penny Nail.
1712 J. Warder True Amazons 121 Some twopenny Dove Nails, or small Hinges, with some Nails and three penny Sprigs.
1796 J. G. Stedman Narr. Exped. Surinam I. 109 After having had iron sprigs driven home underneath every one of his nails on hands and feet.
1844 H. Stephens Bk. of Farm I. 117 Battens..fastened down to stout joists with Scotch flooring sprigs driven through the feather-edge.
1875 J. Lukin Carpentry & Joinery 64 The bottom of the drawer is to be..secured by a small brad or sprig to the back.
1961 Washington (Iowa) Evening Jrnl. 8 Feb. 9/4 Sprigs, nails, screws and everything a boy would use to build with.
2007 D. A. Griliches Appalachian Farmer's Story 42 You'ld..take the little bitty nails which we called shoe sprigs, and you'ld nail this half-sole on your shoes. The sprigs was just long and barely come through the insole of your shoe and clench.
2.
a. A peg, pin, etc., esp. one inserted into a hole or slot in order to fasten or hold parts together, plug a gap, etc.; (also) a projecting part of an object serving the same purpose. Now rare (chiefly English regional), except as in sense 2b.
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society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > [noun] > window-making equipment
cradle1538
sprig1674
vice1706
sash cramp1964
1674 C. Cotton Compl. Gamester iii. 40 The Sprigg is another piece of Iron, about the thickness of a Man's little finger, and is taller than the Billiard King, and driven into the Board, so that it is immovable.
1679 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises I. vii. 123 For whereas those Chissels Joyners use have their wooden heads made hollow to receive the Iron Sprig above the Shoulder of the Shank, Carpenters have their Shank made with an hollow Socket at its top, to receive a strong wooden Sprig made to fit into that Socket.
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory (1905) iii. xxi. 263/2 The Sprig or Pin of the handle is commonly set into the tip of an Harts Horn for its halve.
1755 S. Johnson Dict. Eng. Lang. at Pike Two iron sprigs between which any thing to be turned is fastened.
1884 W. Carnegie Pract. Game Preserving xlv. 481 Some [traps] can be obtained with an iron sprig instead of the plate.
1923 G. Sturt Wheelwright's Shop xxv. 129 At last fastened with three ‘sprigs’—three tiny iron pegs specially made to drive into the elm and clench neatly over the iron bond.
1967 H. Orton & M. F. Wakelin Surv. Eng. Dial. IV. i. 163 Q[uestion]. What do you call this, for keeping the cart-body fixed to the shafts so as to stop it tilting up?..[Berkshire] Sprig.
b. spec. A small triangular or wedge-shaped piece of metal inserted alongside a pane of glass to hold it in place in a window frame before the putty is applied (now frequently more fully glazing sprig).
ΚΠ
1720 in C. R. Lounsbury Illustr. Gloss. Early Southern Archit. & Landscape (1994) 343 Sprigs for Cazments.
1741 S. Carolina Gaz. in C. R. Lounsbury Illustr. Gloss. Early Southern Archit. & Landscape (1994) 343 Just imported..from London..glaziers and sash sprigs.
1823 P. Nicholson New Pract. Builder 422 Large squares should be further secured by small sprigs being driven into the rebates of the sash.
1875 J. Lukin Carpentry & Joinery 106 Let a sprig be put in under each as it is put in place—before it is puttied.
1915 Garden Mag. Oct. 70/3 (advt.) The Duo-Glazed Lock Strip makes glazing easy—no springs, sprigs, putty or plugs.
1934 U.S. Dept. Agric. Farmer's Bull. No. 1743 19 Each light of glass should be fastened with 4 zinc glazing sprigs.
2017 P. Pullman Belle Sauvage vi. 110 To avoid bashing the glass with the hammer he put the side of a chisel on the sprig and tapped the hammer against that to drive it home.
3. Nautical. An eyebolt having barbs or spikes on its shaft so that it cannot easily be withdrawn; a rag bolt (rag bolt n.). More fully sprig bolt.
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society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > other equipment of vessel > [noun] > ring- or eye-bolt
ringbolt1599
sprig1794
pad-eye1909
1794 D. Steel Elements & Pract. Rigging & Seamanship I. 10 Sprig, a small eye-bolt, ragged at the point.
1797 D. Steel Art of making Masts 3 The sprig-bolt is a small eye-bolt, ragged towards the point.
1834 Times 23 Aug. In the year 1821 [the ship] was..copper fastened, with through and sprig bolts.
1864 New-Zealander 22 Aug. 4/6 To Arrive per ‘Ironsides’, from London. 12 kegs composition sheathing nails..9 ditto ditto Sprig Bolts..24 ditto ditto Deck Spikes.
1955 C. N. Longridge Anat. Nelson's Ships xvi. 257 At the extreme end of the gaff there is a sprig with an eye to take the strop of the 7-in. block for the ensign halliards.
1987 D. H. Roberts tr. J. Boudriot Seventy-four Gun Ship III. 153 A second deadeye is turned in to a strap made fast to one of the sprig-bolts.
4. Chiefly Australian and New Zealand. Usually in plural. Each of a number of nails, spikes, or studs set into or fastened to the sole of a shoe or boot to provide protection from wear or to improve grip. Now chiefly Sport: a stud or cleat on the sole of a sports shoe or boot.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > general equipment > [noun] > spikes on boot or shoe
spike1832
sprig1835
society > occupation and work > equipment > tool > parts of tools generally > [noun] > other parts
neck?a1425
buttc1425
cheek1487
wing1577
face1601
ear1678
wood1683
strig1703
thumb-piece1760
jaws1789
crown1796
lug1833
sprig1835
point angle1869
bulb1885
nosepiece1983
the world > space > shape > unevenness > projection or prominence > [noun] > a projecting part > small
snig1649
sprig1835
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > footwear > parts of footwear > [noun] > protective studs or plates > spikes or prongs to prevent slipping
ice spur?a1549
frosts1718
calk1805
spur1820
spike1832
sprig1835
mud-shoe1846
clamper1856
shoe-nail1860
ice calk1863
1835 Colonial Times (Hobart, Austral.) 13 Oct. 335/4 New stock-keepers' boots, with iron toe sprigs and iron heels.
1847 J. O. Halliwell Dict. Archaic & Provinc. Words II. (at cited word) A triangular piece of iron is screwed to their shoe-heels, having three points half an inch long projecting downwards. These are called sprigs.
1853 Freeman's Jrnl. (Dublin) 18 Apr. Heel and Toe Sprigs.
1928 Northern Advocate (Whangarei, N.Z.) 6 June 4/6 Players reported for not having regulation sprigs will be severely dealt with.
1949 D. M. Davin Roads from Home i. ii. 27 John hammered the last tack into a sprig of his football boots.
2014 N.Z. Herald (Nexis) 8 Feb. After warming up in their shorter sprigs, drizzle forced the New Zealand's players to change their boots quickly to longer studs ahead of their outing against Fiji.
Compounds
C1. attributive and objective, as sprig-box, sprig mark, sprig maker, sprig punch, etc.Recorded earliest in sprig nail n.
ΚΠ
1377 in H. C. M. Lambert Hist. Banstead in Surrey (1912) 354 (MED) Eidem Johanni pro mmm clavis ferreis vocatis sprygnaylles, ab eo emptis pro operibus predictis, pretium mille x d.
1797 J. Robinson Directory of Sheffield 63 Dickinson, Enoch, sprig maker.
1885 Handicraft for Handy People ii.7 Ordinary hammer,..2s.; sprig hammer, 9d.
1896 ‘J. Ackworth’ Clog Shop Chron. 34 As he bent over his work a great tear splashed down into the sprig-box before him.
1905 J. Wright Home Mechanic vii. 117 A sprig-punch and hammer should be used for driving its head a little further, until it is well below the surface of the wood.
1972 Guardian 11 Nov. 21/5 You look at Sid [Going] when we're changing, he's got sprig (stud) marks all over him.
2003 Advertiser (Nexis) 27 June 62 Ruck bag. Sprig box. Spare socks. Valuables bags for the players. On-field passes for officials.
C2.
sprig awl n. Now historical and rare = sprig bit n.
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society > occupation and work > equipment > piercing or boring tools > [noun] > for piercing or pricking > awl > types of
pritch-awl1594
prickal1688
stabber1794
sprig awla1815
sprig bit1815
Indian awl1821
bradawl1823
a1815 W. Hutton Life & Hist. Family (1816) 56 A fork, with one limb, was made to act in the double capacity of sprig-awl and gimlet.
1938 Marples Tools for Wood-wrk. 26 Fine Sprig Awl Blades, assorted 1/4 dozen.
2005 Pop. Woodworking Nov. 45/2 R. A. Salaman, in his comprehensive ‘Dictionary of Woodworking Tools’.., describes 14 different types of awls including the brad awl, upholsterers awl, flooring awl, sprig awl, scratch awl and marking awl.
sprig bit n. now rare a small awl with a flattened or square tip, used mainly to make guide holes for the insertion of a brad, screw, or wire without splitting the wood; a bradawl.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > piercing or boring tools > [noun] > for piercing or pricking > awl > types of
pritch-awl1594
prickal1688
stabber1794
sprig awla1815
sprig bit1815
Indian awl1821
bradawl1823
1815 J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art I. 116 The smallest sort of boring tool is a kind of bodkin, called the brad-awl, or sprig-bit.
1899 R. Hasluck Mounting & Framing Pictures i. 16 Carefully bore with the sprig-bit through the first piece and a little way into the other one.
2007 P. Sellers in D. Thiel Hand Tool Essentials xxxiii. 169/3 Most people put awls in two categories: brad awls (also called sprig bits) and scratch awls (or marking awls).
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2019; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
sprign.2
/sprɪɡ/, U.S. /sprɪɡ/ 1.
a. A small branch, shoot, or spray of a plant, shrub, or tree; †a rod. Also: such branches, shoots, etc., collectively. Occasionally figurative.myrtle sprig, parsley sprig, vine-sprig: see the first element.In quot. a1425, in the sense of rod n.1 1a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > part of plant > shoot, sprout, or branch > [noun]
sproteeOE
wiseOE
spronkOE
wrideOE
brodc1175
wanda1300
breerc1320
scion?c1335
spraya1387
spriga1398
springa1400
sprouta1400
spiringc1400
shoota1450
youngling1559
forth-growing1562
spirk1565
sprouting1578
surcle1578
chive1583
chit1601
spurt1601
sprit1622
germen1628
spurge1630
spirt1634
brairding1637
springet1640
set1658
shrubble1674
underling1688
sobolesa1722
branchlet1731
springlet1749
sproutling1749
sprang1847
shootlet1889
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. ix. v. 524 Herbis and treen biginnyth to springe and to waxe grene wiþ buriouns and spriggis.
a1425 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Cambr. Ff.5.35) (1873) C. vi. l. 139 Sprigge [c1400 Huntington HM 137 Ho so spareþ þe spring spilleþ hus children].
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 197v This..sprygge whiche bryngeth foorth the sayde cluster is a hole yeare in growyng.
1580 T. M. in Baret's Aluearie (rev. ed.) To Rdr. sig. A.vi There grew the floures, that Tullie first did see, There sprang the sprigs, on which he first did feed.
1624 J. Smith Gen. Hist. Virginia ii. 31 Their arrowes are made some of straight young sprigs, which they head with bone.
1682 N. Grew Anat. Plants iv. i. iii. 152 Where there are several Sprigs upon one Stem, as in Fenil, Hemlock, and the like.
1728 J. Thomson Spring 11 Herds and Flocks Drop the dry Sprig, and mute-imploring eye The falling Verdure.
1793 J. Trapp tr. A. Rochon Voy. Madagascar (rev. ed.) 116 When the canes have once been cut, they bring forth new sprigs, which yield a second crop.
1827 G. Higgins Celtic Druids 34 The Druids pretended to perform various operations by means of sticks, sprigs, or branches of trees.
1831 On Planting (Libr. Useful Knowl.) vii. 91 Sprig of wood.—In some instances understood as the branches of a tree.
1856 in ‘E. S. Delamer’ Flower Garden 122 This beautiful Jasmine is..very useful for cutting for bouquets, and the sprigs will last in water a long time.
1960 Times 5 Dec. 1/5 (advt.) Holly.—24 well-berried sprigs for 12s. 6d.
1991 Sunday Tel. 8 Sept. 6/6 Elizabeth Hart, 77, is still working at the hop machine, picking out the leaves and ‘sprig’ that must be removed before the hops go to the oast house for drying and pressing.
2014 Spirit & Destiny Apr. 53/2 Just tie a bunch of sprigs together at the stems and hang it upside down in a well-ventilated space.
b. A small branch, shoot, or spray of a particular plant, shrub, or tree.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > part of plant > shoot, sprout, or branch > [noun] > spray or sprig
sprig1563
sprag1676
spriglet1825
spray1862
1563 T. Gale Certaine Wks. Chirurg. iv. ii. f. 40v You maie in the place hereof vse a sprigge of the Oke.
1599 Warning for Faire Women ii. 1072 There came a sprigge of fearne, borne by the wind Into the roome.
1621 T. Middleton Sunne in Aries sig. B4 Peace [is represented], with a Branch of Laurell; Patience, a Sprig of Palme [etc.].
a1721 M. Prior Poems from Longleat MSS in Dialogues of Dead & Other Wks. (1907) 275 Then how short-liv'd will be thy Praise Like what thou labour'est for, a sprig of Bayes.
1837 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers xxviii. 285 Sprigs of holly with red berries..ornament the window.
1929 L. W. Reese Victorian Village 27 Her eyes were a blue as her frock; in one hand she carried a sprig or two of forgetmenots.
1990 K. Frank Chainless Soul: Life E. Brontë 10 There was scarcely a sprig of purple heather left on the distant hills.
2005 Fresh Nov. 102/1 Pour into a tall glass over ice, decorate with a sprig of mint.
c. Angling. A small piece of feather or other material used as part of a fishing fly.
ΚΠ
1848 E. Fitzgibbon Handbk. Angling (ed. 2) x. 306 Sprigs of the leading tail feather of the golden pheasant.
1913 Forest & Stream 26 Apr. 519/2 Over this three or four toppings with sprig of green parrot.
1981 Field & Stream May 80/3 Delph creates the puffy fly by tying orange bucktail in front,..with two or three sprigs of Mylar on each side.
2004 B. Veverka Spey Flies & How to tie Them (2015) vii. 130/1 Golden pheasant topping and sprigs of tippet.
2. figurative and in figurative context.
a. A small or insignificant specimen of something; a minor instance or example likened to a small branch or shoot, esp. in having the potential to develop. Chiefly in extended metaphors.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > causation > source or origin > [noun] > that which originates from something else
daughtereOE
outcasting1340
impc1380
childa1398
outgrowing?a1425
proventc1451
provenuec1487
excrescency1545
sprig1575
procedure?1577
proceed1578
derivative1593
offspring1596
superfetation1603
excression1610
shootc1610
excretion1615
slip1627
excrescence1633
derivation1641
derivate1660
offshoot1801
offtracta1806
deduction1835
outgrowth1837
the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [noun] > offshoot
scionc1384
explantation?a1425
sprig1575
offset1642
ramification1755
off-branch1793
offshoot1814
1575 N. Breton Smale Handfull of Fragrant Flowers sig. A.vv O worthy sprig of constancie, O iewell farre surpassing gold, Preserued by the eternitie, as a looking glasse for to behold.
1576 A. Fleming tr. Hippocrates in Panoplie Epist. 272 To weede out..the bitter plant of couetousnesse,..that of the same not..one braunch, sprig, leafe nor seede be remaining.
1581 R. Mulcaster Positions xxxv. 130 Not bowghes & branches, but euen the twigges and sprigges of the petiest circumstances.
1608 A. Willet Hexapla in Exodum 308 The sprigges and branches of vices.
1660 tr. M. Amyraut Treat. conc. Relig. iii. iii. 347 So totally rooted out of all the Writings in the World,..as not one slip or sprig to be left of it.
1780 E. Griffith Times p. vii We merrier folks, with spirits blithe and jolly, Just perch upon some little sprig of folly.
1815 W. Scott Guy Mannering II. 300 The following sprig of sepulchral poetry.
1878 R. Browning Two Poets of Croisic 139 in La Saisiaz: Two Poets of Croisic 177 Never hope to graff a second sprig of triumph there!
1929 N.Y. Times 8 Dec. The wistful sprig of hope begins to put forth blossoms.
2015 Irish Times (Nexis) 21 Nov. But enough details have emerged for fans of the series to foster sprigs of optimism.
b. Applied to people (frequently with disparaging implication).
(a) With of. An heir or descendant of a person, family, dynasty, etc.; a scion. Also: a disciple or representative of a group, faction, institution, etc. Chiefly implying that the person concerned is junior or of little significance.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > kinship or relationship > kinsman or relation > descendant > [noun]
sonOE
lineage1303
rootc1330
impinga1340
after-comera1382
nephewa1387
impc1412
descentc1475
branch1535
descendant1569
stirp1574
scion1591
sprig1591
slip1594
sprout?1611
posterior1889
ancestor1920
1591 E. Aggas tr. Answeare Supplication sig. Ev This great and noble race of Burbon (the last sprig of this holy stocke).
1601 R. Chester Loves Martyr 71 Yet Fortunes vnseene immortalitie, Sometimes cuts downe sprigs of a Monarchie.
a1644 F. Quarles Judgem. & Mercy (1646) 29 A poore Sprig of disobedient Adam.
1705 Observator 28 Apr. I have heard of the Sorry Sprig of Divinity, he reckons himself obliged to the Tacking Party for his small Tythes of Cherries.
1768 Woman of Honor II. 202 Are even some of the illustrious sprigs of our Nobility clear of that scoundrel-vice?
1810 Sporting Mag. 35 28 Our sprigs of fashion are..fond of driving the mail.
1847 H. Miller First Impressions Eng. xx. 391 A zealous sprig of High Churchism who preached to them.
1883 Congregationalist Sept. 731 The pretensions of a pert young sprig of divinity.
1938 ‘G. B. Lancaster’ Promenade 135 No good record attached to this young sprig of the nobility who (said rumour) had been cashiered from the Hussars.
1986 L. Barber Mostly Men (1992) 12 What if, I asked, you had someone terribly old and terribly distinguished—Graham Greene, say—to dinner, would you really seat him below some junior sprig of a baronet?
2014 Sunday Express (Nexis) 16 Mar. 9 Here was a sprig of the aristocracy bridging the gap between his own background and the horny handed sons of toil with sandwiches and endless cups of tea.
(b) A youth; a stripling.
ΘΚΠ
the world > people > person > young person > youth or young man > [noun]
frumberdlingc1000
young manOE
childc1225
hind1297
pagec1300
youtha1325
fawnc1369
swainc1386
stripling1398
boy1440
springaldc1450
jovencel1490
younkera1522
speara1529
gorrel1530
lad1535
hobbledehoy1540
cockerel1547
waga1556
spring1559
loonc1560
hensure1568
youngster1577
imp1578
pigsney1581
cocklinga1586
demy1589
muchacho1591
shaver1592
snipper-snappera1593
callant1597
spaught1598
stubble boy1598
ghillie1603
codling1612
cuba1616
skippera1616
man-boy1637
sprig1646
callow1651
halflang1660
stubbed boy1683
gossoon1684
gilpie1718
stirraha1722
young lion1792
halfling1794
pubescent1795
young man1810
sixteener1824
señorito1843
tad1845
boysie1846
shaveling1854
ephebe1880
boychick1921
lightie1946
young blood1967
studmuffin1986
1646 J. Bastwick Utter Routing of Army of Independents 292 If some yong Sprigge..had spake such words only, and had bin the author of such novell opinions..I should never have wondred at it, knowing how unstable youth is.
1661 J. Davies Civil Warres 365 A young sprig, who had never..ventured to involve himself in bloud and murthers.
1766 C. Anstey New Bath Guide xi. iv. 77 Th' unfortunate Sprig Seems as if he was hunting all Night for his Wig.
1789 J. Wolcot Poet. Epist. to falling Minister 23 Yet was this Youth proclaim'd a pretty sprig.
1815 W. Scott Guy Mannering III. xiv. 272 A sprig, whom I remember with a whey face and a satchel, not so very many years ago.
1879 F. W. Robinson Coward Conscience ii. xvii When..we were a couple of city sprigs together.
1920 J. A. Cull Bride Mission San José iii. 32 Aha! young sprig!.. Hear the whistling air divide before my cutlass's edge. I'll strip you from your skin, inch by inch, and dry it on your cabin door.
1998 L. Blackwell Widow of Larkspur Inn xlii. 488 Mrs. Hollis, will you take charge of seeing that these little sprigs keep their eyes closed?
2014 Gaurdian (Nexis) 19 July (Weekend) 70 I imagine zealous young sprigs in the local council brainstorming a more investment-friendly alternative.
c. Anatomy. A small branch of a nerve or blood vessel. Cf. twig n.1 3. Now rare.In quot. 1598 as part of an extended metaphor.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > nervous system > nerve > parts of nerves > [noun] > branch
rame1578
surcle1578
ramus1615
sprig1634
twig1683
ramus communicans1798
rootlet1815
radicle1829
nerve twig1865
arm1870
radical1880
neuropilema1891
neuropil1894
the world > space > relative position > inclination > divergence > [noun] > ramification > a branching part
sprig1634
offshoot1851
offset1853
outbranching1855
offsetting1857
1598 J. Mosan tr. C. Wirsung Praxis Med. Vniuersalis v. x. 604 There is no greater vaine, then the lyuer vaine, which appeareth none otherwise but as a branch of a tree,..and the branches aboue do spread themselues againe in many sprigs or twigs.]
1634 T. Johnson tr. A. Paré Chirurg. Wks. vi. xxxi. 224 It [sc. a branch of the crurall veine] is distributed by two other small spriggs [L. ramulis] into the skinne, on the fore and hinde part of the knee.
1684 R. Boyle Exper. Porosity of Bodies vii. 61 A vein and artery to bring in and carry back Blood..by distinct sprigs sent from the great branch.
1718 J. Chamberlayne tr. B. Nieuwentyt Relig. Philosopher I. ix. §8 This same Nerve..after having sent some Sprigs to the Plexus Nervosus..ends there.
1921 Morris's Human Anat. (ed. 6) i. 33 The dorsal aortæ also give rise to a number of segmentally placed arterial sprigs which supply the tissues of the embryo.
1974 Biol. Bull. 146 124 Supplying it with blood by way of fine sprigs arising directly from the coarse vessels.
3. A representation of a shoot, twig, or spray of a plant, esp. used for decoration or embellishment.
a. An object or ornament made to resemble a sprig or spray; spec. an item of jewellery in the form of a small spray of leaves or flowers, typically set with diamonds, pearls, or other precious stones and worn in the hair or on the clothing (now rare).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > beautification > types of ornamentation > jewellery > jewellery of specific shape or form > [noun]
ringOE
beec1009
languet1378
Collar of SS., S's, or Esses1406
tablet?a1425
fetterlock1463
serpent-tongue1488
triangle1529
flory1530
gorget1570
medal1578
tablet jewel1599
sprig1602
bracelet1624
medallion1658
croisette1688
torques1693
scarabaeus1775
crosslet1802
torque1834
teardrop1870
scarab1878
scaraboid1879
scarabaeoid1887
squash blossom1923
clip1937
1602 J. Marston Hist. Antonio & Mellida v. sig. H3v I ha bought mee a newe greene feather with a red sprig.
1605 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. i. v. 173 Vpon her Crowne, a Crest Of starrie Sprigs.
1629 J. Shirley Wedding ii. i When thou art at the Peacock, remember to call for the sprig.
1718 Free-thinker No. 57. 2 The rich Sprig of Diamonds, that sparkles in your Hair.
1756 tr. J. G. Keyssler Trav. I. 210 The queen had a sprig of diamonds which she usually wore on her bosom.
1806 T. S. Surr Winter in London II. vi. 157 He, having..the said family plate,..lent me..a sprig for my hair.
1871 Birmingham Daily Post 15 July 6/6 It appeared that the late Earl had presented to the present Countess on her marriage..a diamond sprig and necklace, of great value.
1900 C. M. Pepper Every-day Life in Washington xvi. 224 The bride wore a rich satin brocade and veil of Honiton lace, her ornaments simply a pearl sprig and pin.
1986 Defiance (Ohio) Crescent-News 15 Sept. 12/1 Her hat..was accented with a silk rosebud and pearl sprig.
2002 Birmingham Post (Nexis) 20 July 50 Her little purple cap was covered with diamonds and she had diamond sprigs on her sleeves and a diamond stomacher to add to the weight.
b. A decorative design or motif resembling a sprig or spray of leaves or flowers; esp. such a design stitched, woven, or printed on a textile (cf. sprig v.1 2a, sprigged adj.1 3a).
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society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > ornamental art and craft > pattern or design > [noun] > foliage
maple leaf1394
vinea1400
vinet1412
traila1423
garlandc1524
foilery1527
wreath?1586
leaf work1592
foliage1598
sprig1613
branching1652
leafage1658
leafing1688
acanthus leaf1703
feuillage1714
sprigging1775
foliature1814
pampre1842
palmette1850
vine-scroll1886
olive acanthus1888
foliage-border1891
branched work-
1613 G. Chapman Memorable Maske Inns of Court sig. A2 Betwixt euery pane of embroidery, went a rowe of white Estridge feathers, mingled with sprigs of golde plate.
1702 Post Man 10 Dec. Paper hangings, some..in imitation of Irish stitch, flower'd Damasks, Sprigs and Branches, others yard wide.
1710 Tatler 24 Jan. Calico Gown..Scarlet Ground, flowered with white Flowers, green Sprigs, and lined with a green Mantua Silk.
1771 Mrs. Harris in Priv. Lett. Ld. Malmesbury (1870) I. 214 The habit muslin with green and gold sprigs.
1857 E. Bulwer-Lytton What will he do with It? (Tauchnitz ed.) I. xiv. 104 What pretty sprigs! Where can such things be got?
1881 Amer. Art Rev. 2 118 Porcelain simply decorated upon the white surface with sprigs or flowers in blue, applied by a process of coarse printing under the glaze.
1961 Country Life 17 Aug. 338/3 The remaining area is painted with sprigs and scattered bouquets of flowers.
1988 Biblical Archaeologist 51 122/1 Above this was a convex frieze decorated with sprigs.
2000 P. Durban So Far Back 78 An old blue calico curtain printed with sprigs of tiny yellow flowers.
c. Ceramics. A decorative motif (originally and frequently a representation of a spray of flowers, leaves, etc.) executed in low relief on a ceramic object, typically being moulded separately and applied to the surface of the item before firing or glazing; a small quantity of clay shaped in a mould in order to be used in this way. Cf. sprig v.1 2a, sprigged adj.1 3b.
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society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > clay compositions > baked clay > pottery or ceramics > [noun] > pottery ornamented in specific way > specific ornamentation
sprig1770
partridge eye1782
fingertipping1935
1770 A. Young Six Months Tour N. Eng. III. xx. 308 Handlers, who fix hands, and other kinds of finishers, for adding sprigs, horns, &c.
1906 R. L. Hobson Porcelain xiii. 118 Red stoneware..was embellished in various ways—with applied sprigs, with raised ornament coloured with enamels, by gilding or silvering.
1974 J. Dickerson Pottery Making 82 Allow the sprig to stiffen in the mould for a few minutes.
2011 M. Mills Surface Design for Ceramics 65 (caption) The porcelain sprigs on this teapot appear lighter than the body of the pot.
d. Lacemaking. An individual lace motif, typically taking the form of a spray of flowers or leaves, a number of which are joined together or applied to a net ground to produce a lace fabric, garment, etc.Cf. sprig lace n. at Compounds 3, of which this sense probably represents a development.
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the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [noun] > consisting of loops or looped stitches > lace > pillow or bobbin > detached piece of
sprig1811
motif1888
1811 Morning Post 8 Feb. 1/4 (advt.) Brussels and Honiton sprigs.
1851 Official Descriptive & Illustr. Catal. Great Exhib. III. 560 Brussels and Honiton sprigs, manufactured from cotton thread.
1899 Home Needlewk. Mag. July 192 These sprigs are joined with the needle by various stitches, forming Honiton guipure.
1909 Priscilla Irish Crochet Bk. 3/1 When a sprig shows signs of either getting saucer-shaped or of frilling, when it should lie flat, the worker must use her own discretion as to increasing or diminishing the number of stitches.
1953 M. Powys Lace & Lace-making (e-book ed.) xi. The sprays or sprigs are later joined on the pillow.
1981 Globe & Mail (Canada) (Nexis) 6 June By 1840, it was difficult to find enough skilled workers to make Honiton lace sprigs for Queen Victoria's wedding gown.
2005 M. Palmer & P. Neaverson Textile Industry of South-West Eng. i. 27 The motifs or sprigs were made separately and then linked together by other threads to form the ‘ground’ of the lace.
4. A quantity or piece of any material likened to a shoot, sprig, or spray of a plant, esp. in being slender or branching, or in forming a clump sprouting from a central point.
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the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [noun] > a separate part > a piece or bit > small piece > resembling sprig of plant
sprig1619
1619 A. Gorges tr. F. Bacon Wisedome Ancients 163 All that wee can say concerning that sprig of gold is hardly able to defend vs from the violence of the Chymicks.
1680 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises I. xiii. 222 Some Turners to shew their Dexterity..Turn long and slender Sprigs of Ivory as small as an Hay-stalk, and perhaps a Foot or more long.
1758 W. Borlase Nat. Hist. Cornwall 84 The coralline moss,..sprig, and bunchy coral dispersed on the rocks.
1787 J. Wolcot Ode upon Ode in Wks. (1812) I. 456 Commanded of dead Hair the sprigs To do their duty upon Wigs.
1839 H. T. De la Beche Rep. Geol. Cornwall ii. 31 A conglomerate with a calcareo-magnesian cement, containing sprigs of copper.
1879 G. A. Sala Paris herself Again (ed. 3) I. xvi. 239 A bit of malachite, a morsel of lapis-lazuli, a few leaves of beaten gold, a sprig of coral, a stick of black sealing-wax.
1972 A. Tyler Clock Winder (1983) ix. 187 A little sprig of a cowlick stood up on the back of her head, as precise as the stem on a beret.
2002 Vanity Fair Mar. 234/1 His hair teased into a Rod Stewart shag with sprigs of bangs hanging over his forehead.
5. In the names of animals.† b. A silvery-grey rabbit; = silver-sprig n. at silver n. and adj. Compounds 2b. Obsolete. rare. [Short for silver-sprig n. at silver n. and adj. Compounds 2b.]
a. U.S. The pintail duck, Anas acuta, the male of which has two long pointed feathers in the tail. [Short for either sprigtail n. 2 or sprig-tailed duck n. at sprig-tailed adj. Compounds.]
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the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > member of genus Anas (miscellaneous) > anas acuta (pintail)
sea-widgeon1624
pintail1674
sea pheasant1674
cracker1678
sprigtail1768
winter duck1775
sprig1844
pin-tailed duck1851
pigtailed winder1864
ladybird1885
smeath1888
smee1888
1844 J. P. Giraud Birds Long Island 311 This beautiful species is well known to our gunners by the name of ‘Sprig’, or ‘Spreet-tail’.
1895 Outing Apr. 30/2 Making a blind good enough for any duck except sprig, which are as wary as wild geese.
1931 Good Housek. (U.S. ed.) Dec. 204/2 Then there were sprigs, with their two long tail-feathers stretching out behind, and a pair of golden-eyes.
1987 D. E. Wesley & W. G. Leitch Fireside Waterfowler xxvii. 174/2 By the time the sun finds you from behind the Sierra Nevada mountains to the east, you have eight bull sprig on the water and a large flight is circling.
2012 @CalWaterfowl 2 Mar. in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) Pintail Banding update: 171 sprig captured this morning at Howard Slough.
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the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > order Lagomorpha (rabbits and hares) > [noun] > family Leporidae > genus Oryctolagus (rabbit) > breed or variety of (miscellaneous) > silver-sprig
silver-sprig1799
sprig1859
1859 J. C. Atkinson Walks, Talks Two Schoolboys 30 The boys understood him to call rabbits of this variety..by the name of ‘sprigs’ or ‘silver-sprigs’.
Compounds
C1. General attributive, instrumental, and parasynthetic, as, sprig mould, sprig-pattern, sprig-patterned, etc.
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1769 Public Advertiser 12 Sept. One Piece Cotton, 8 1-half Yard, three red Chintz Sprig Pattern.
1806 J. Grahame Birds Scotl. 51 Her sprig-formed nest upon some hawthorn branch Is laid so thinly.
1844 Boston Post 9 Jan. Sprig covered dishes.
1893 E. A. Barber Pottery (Pennsylvania Museum & School of Industrial Art) 19 Ginger body, with applied sprig work in yellow clay.
1914 Attica (Indiana) Daily Tribune 24 Oct. For sitting and bedrooms a pretty sprig patterned paper looks very dainty.
1951 J. B. Kenny Compl. Bk. Pottery Making vii. 123 A sprig mold is a block of plaster with a depression shaped like the ornament in reverse.
2009 V. Wood Rich Girl, Poor Girl xxiv. 274 Rosalie and Polly were wearing their prettiest gowns, Polly in her favourite blue and Rosalie in primrose yellow muslin with a sprig pattern.
C2. Designating items (esp. textiles or garments) decorated with a pattern of sprigs, as sprig muslin, sprig silk, sprig gown, etc. Cf. sense 3b, sprigged adj.1 3a.In quot. 1600 apparently showing sprig modifying silver lace; cf. slightly later sprig lace n. at Compounds 3.
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1600 Bk. of All Garmentes Jewells Silkes of our Soueraigne Ladye Elizabeth (National Arch. LR2/121) f. 82v Item one Dublett of netwoorke florished allouer w.t Syluer and spangles and leaues edged w.t sprigge Syluer lace.
1727 Daily Jrnl. 16 Feb. A Sprig Linen Gown and Coat, lined with Green Silk.
1764 Invoice 13 Feb. in G. Washington Papers (1990) VII. 290 Paid for 4½ yds sprig Muslin @ 10/6.
1775 S. J. Pratt Liberal Opinions (1783) III. 219 She then mentioned something about sprig silks.
1841 W. M. Thackeray Hist. Samuel Titmarsh iii. in Fraser's Mag. Sept. 332/1 I recollect I had on..a white sprig waistcoat.
1874 H. H. Cole Catal. Objects Indian Art S. Kensington Mus. 207 The silver pattern, applied in bands of leaves and in a small sprig diaper.
1916 I. A. R. Wylie Hermit Doctor of Gaya i. ix. 120 The light sprig dress revealed the yielding lines of her body.
1975 Robstown (Texas) Rec. 19 June 2/5 The bridemaids wore sprig muslin in coral and blue on champagne.
2000 G. McCaughrean Stones are Hatching (rev. ed.) v. 48 Shaking the stems and mess off her sprig cotton.
C3. † sprig birch n. Obsolete (perhaps) a budding birch tree.† sprig crystal n. Obsolete quartz in the form of short slender crystals; a quartz crystal or group of crystals of this form.
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1772 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 62 399 They feed on grass-seeds, and buds of the sprig-birch.
1883 F. H. King in Geol. Wisconsin: Surv. of 1873–9 I. ii. xi. 492 Small black seeds, buckwheat, oats, buds of sprig birch and larvae of certain insects.
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a1728 J. Woodward Attempt Nat. Hist. Fossils Eng. (1729) i. 32 This kind the Lapidaries call Peble-Crystal. The Crystallin hexagonal Columns they call Sprig-Crystal.
1854 H. Miller My Schools & Schoolmasters v. 95 A white quartz, abounding in drusy cavities, thickly lined along their sides with sprig crystals.
1901 F. J. Troughton Classified List Minerals 22 Sprig-crystal—a cluster of pointed prismatic crystals of quartz.
sprig lace n. a type of lace formed of individually worked motifs, typically in the form of sprigs of flowers, leaves, etc., a number of which are joined together or applied to a net ground; cf. sense 3d.Compare slightly earlier sprig silver lace at Compounds 2.
ΚΠ
1601 Tailor's Acct. in B. Cusack Everyday Eng. 1500–1700 (1998) 74 For xiiij ounces of silver sprigg lace at vj s iiij d an ounce.
a1645 W. Browne Inner Temple Masque iii, in Wks. (1772) III. 147 Their skirtes and winges cut into leaves, deepe round hose of the same, both lin'd with sprigge lace spangled.
1827 Woolmer's Exeter & Plymouth Gaz. 6 Jan. 4/4 Wedding Dress.—Frock of Urling's sprig lace, of a very elegant Brussels pattern.
1907 A. P. Moody Devon Pillow Lace iii. 40 Only the actual making of the lace was carried out by the cottage worker, while skilled artists drew the design and, in the case of sprig laces, arranged the sprays in their final order.
1985 S. Thompson Introd. Honiton Lace Introd. 7/2 Bobbin laces fall into two categories—‘one-piece’ laces, in which the pattern and background..are made all together in one operation, and ‘sprig’ laces, of which Honiton is an example.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2019; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
† sprigadj.
Obsolete.
Of a person's appearance: smart, neat, trim. Of a person's demeanour: brisk, active, alert, spry. Cf. sprug v.
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the mind > attention and judgement > beauty > pleasing appearance > [adjective] > neat or trim
netc1330
pertc1330
cleanc1386
nicec1400
picked?c1425
dapperc1440
feata1471
gim1513
trig1513
well-trimmedc1513
trick1533
smirk1534
tricksy1552
neat1559
netty1573
deft1579
primpc1590
briska1593
smug1598
spruce1598
sprink1602
terse1602
compt1632
nitle1673
sprig1675
snod1691
tight1697
smugged1706
snug1714
pensy1718
fitty1746
jemmy1751
sprucy1774
smartc1778
natty1785
spry1806
perjink1808
soigné1821
nutty1823
toiletted1823
taut1829
spick and span1846
spicy1846
groomed1853
spiffy1853
well-groomed1865
bandboxy1870
perjinkity1880
spick-span1888
bandbox1916
tiddly1925
whip-smart1937
spit and polish1950
spit-and-polished1977
1675 C. Cotton Burlesque upon Burlesque 115 For all he wears his beard so sprig, And has a fine Gold Periwig.
1852 C. Bradley Jrnl. 1 Jan. in Atlantic Monthly (1905) Jan. 87/2 How old time wears away, the older he grows, the sprigger he seems to be.
1898 J. Buchan John Burnet of Barns ii. vi. 166 I thocht a' was up whiles, but ye aye cam to yoursel' as sprig as a wull-cat.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2019).
sprigv.1
/sprɪɡ/, U.S. /sprɪɡ/ a. intransitive. To form rootlets or small shoots. See sprigle v. Obsolete. rare.Apparently only attested in dictionaries or glossaries.
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the world > plants > part of plant > root > plant defined by roots > have root [verb (intransitive)] > take root
to take roota1400
roota1425
take?1440
to take rooting1548
sprig1611
radicate1656
to strike root (also roots)1658
tap-root1769
to make root1856
fibre1869
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Cheveler, to sprig, or sprigle; to root, or put forth a hairie, or small, root.
b. transitive (in passive). To be divided into small branches. Obsolete. rare.
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the world > space > relative position > inclination > divergence > diverge [verb (intransitive)] > ramify or branch
twist1340
branch1398
ramify1576
derivea1612
sprig1658
divaricate1672
subdivide1681
ramificate1780
spray1872
divide1878
1658 T. Bromhall Treat. Specters i. 68 Those nerves, which are sprigg'd from the back-bone into the joynts all about.
2.
a. transitive. To decorate (something) with a design or motif resembling a sprig or sprigs of foliage, flowers, etc.; esp. to embroider a sprig or sprigs onto (a garment, piece of fabric, etc.). Also figurative. Cf. sprig n.2 3b.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > beautification > types of ornamentation > ornament [verb (transitive)] > ornament with sprigs
sprig1695
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > ornamental art and craft > pattern or design > pattern [verb (transitive)] > foliage
branch1590
sprig1695
foliage1836
1695 J. Savage tr. F. Sanson Present State of Persia 36 The upper part of the Frontispiece is of Plaister rais'd into an emboss'd Oval all over sprig'd and speckl'd with Gold.
1731 M. Delany Autobiogr. & Corr. (1861) I. 284 A very fine blue satin, sprigged all over with white.
1761 F. Sheridan Mem. Miss Sidney Bidulph (1770) V. 237 Dolly was helping Cecilia to sprig some fine muslin that she is now working for an apron.
1836 O. W. Holmes Poems 132 I can hail the flowers That sprig earth's mantle.
1837 Athenæum 26 Aug. 614/3 By sprigging and flouncing holiday-petticoats for the Virgin.
1895 Daily News 5 June 5/3 The fleur-de-lys..is used to sprig the wide expanse where there is no other decorative design.
1928 P. MacGill Black Bonar 91 in M. Traynor Eng. Dial. Donegal (1953) 279/1 She sprigged a handkerchief for you.
2001 J. McGowan Echoes Savage Land (2006) v. 156 Sometimes when there was a heavy workload, the women spent the night at home crocheting, sprigging or patching the family clothes.
b. transitive. Ceramics. To add (applied relief motifs) to the surface of a piece of pottery; to decorate (a ceramic) using this technique. Also intransitive. Cf. sprig n.2 3c.
ΚΠ
1883 L. M. E. Solon Art of Old Eng. Potter 201 The method of applying or ‘sprigging’ the reliefs pressed in separate moulds of highly-fired clay is one of the great characteristics of English pottery.
1960 H. Powell Beginner's Bk. Pottery ii. ii. 21 When sprigging, you may find that the small, thin sprigged shapes dry too quickly.
2002 K. Peck Art Handmade Tile 122/2 The tiles aren't sprigged and the clay isn't fired, only cast in plaster.
3. transitive. North American and Australian. To plant (a lawn or other area of (cultivated) grass) with sprigs or runners of grass, typically to repair or extend it. Also: to plant (sprigs or runners of grass) for this purpose (also with in or into). Occasionally intransitive. Cf. sprigging n.1 3.
ΚΠ
1917 Newnan (Georgia) Herald 27 July 1/4 Grounds..to be leveled, soiled, and sprigged with bermuda.
1952 Jrnl. Range Managem. Internat. Grassland Issue 5 239/2 Kikuyu grass can be sprigged in on the better soils.
1992 W. T. Parsons & E. G. Cuthbertson Noxious Weeds Austral. 244/2 In light infestations, grub or hoe individual plants and sprig kikuyu grass runners into the disturbed patches.
2001 Beef Jan. 15/2 By sprigging Bermuda grass, the Morgans converted less productive cropland into pasture that helps stabilize the land and protect natural resources.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2019; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
sprigv.2
/sprɪɡ/, U.S. /sprɪɡ/, Australian English /sprɪɡ/, New Zealand English /sprɪɡ/ 1. transitive. To fix or fasten (a thing) with a sprig or sprigs (chiefly in senses 1 and 2b of sprig n.1); to construct or put together using sprigs. Frequently with prepositions and adverbs, as down, on, together, etc. Also occasionally intransitive or with object understood. Now rare.
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society > occupation and work > industry > working with tools or equipment > fastening > fasten [verb (transitive)] > with nails > with specific type
spike1624
treenail1626
spike1700
sprig1712
brad1794
clinker1824
thumbtack1884
toe-nail1900
society > occupation and work > industry > working with tools or equipment > fastening > fasten [verb (intransitive)] > with nails > with specific type > drive in
sprig1712
society > occupation and work > industry > working with tools or equipment > fastening > fasten [verb (intransitive)] > with nails > with specific type
sprig1902
1712 J. Warder True Amazons 125 Let all the Pieces and Frames be well sprig'd to this Head.
1810 J. Cleland Specif. Building & Finishing Set of Public Offices & Prison 43 The sleepers and joists just described, are to be covered with yellow battens..all of which are to be sprigged down from the edge.
1871 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. 59 The back may be glued and sprigged on to the frame.
1902 How to make Things 61/1 Glue and sprig on.
1918 Times Lit. Suppl. 4 July 314/2 Some of them [sc. aeroplanes] were sprigged together with sprigs of the type one finds on the backs of picture-frames.
1957 Gen. Specif. Constructional Standards (ed. 5) 39 The glass is to be well bedded, sprigged in position, and puttied.
2. transitive. Australian and New Zealand.
a. To fit (a boot or shoe) with spikes or studs in order to provide protection from wear or to improve grip. Chiefly Sport in later use. Cf. sprig n.1 4, sprigged adj.2. Now rare.
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the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > tailoring or making clothes > making footwear > make footwear [verb (intransitive)] > carry out specific processes
yarkc1424
sole1570
sprig1885
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > tailoring or making clothes > making footwear > make footwear [verb (transitive)] > carry out other processes
coupa1300
foot1465
unsole1598
close1801
galosha1817
top-piece1830
tree1856
sprig1885
knife1888
to knock up1905
spring1905
1885 Otago Witness (Dunedin, N.Z.) 13 June 26/4 As the coachman..had stupidly neglected to send on our climbing boots we had to make the best of the ones we had by sprigging them with the upper halves of horseshoe nails.
1910 Oamaru (N.Z.) Mail 5 Jan. 5 Half-guinea boots for men... Can be sprigged and plated without extra charge.
1926 News (Adelaide) 1 Oct. 11/3 Mr Roger has been sprigging North boots for some years now.
1930 C. V. Grimmett Getting Wickets v. 105 Had his boots been properly sprigged, it is probable that he would easily have taken the catch.
1952 Benalla (Victoria) Ensign 7 Feb. 10/3 All boots should also be properly sprigged prior to leaving Benalla.
b. Sport (chiefly Rugby and Australian Rules Football). To injure (another player, a limb, etc.) with the studs of one's boots.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > football > rugby football > play rugby football [verb (transitive)] > actions to player
maul1856
tackle1884
to hand off1886
screw1887
sidestep1911
smother1920
stiff-arm1927
sprig1939
spear tackle1969
card1986
yellow card2011
1939 West Austral. (Perth) 30 Aug. 7/1 Sanford was badly sprigged on both shins last Saturday.
1949 Sun (Sydney) 20 Oct. 46/3 A septic leg, which developed after he had been sprigged in the second Test, at Auckland.
1996 Waikato Times (Hamilton, N.Z.) (Nexis) 5 Aug. (Sport section) 15 [He] had his right knee sprigged and was carried off just before the end.
2005 Press (Christchurch, N. Z.) (Nexis) 21 Mar. (Sport section) 1 Mauger was cut below the right eye and inside his mouth after being sprigged at the bottom of a ruck.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2019; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.11295n.2a1398
adj.1675
v.11611v.21712