sprint
/sprɪnt
/verb [no object, with adverbial of direction]
Run at full speed over a short distance: I saw Charlie sprinting through the traffic towards me...
- Ana's mother sprinted out back to find her daughter standing with her hands over her face sobbing.
- Luckily, however, a walker, who was following the same route as the couple, sprinted to the rescue.
- Just than a passing youth snatched the woman's handbag and sprinted off, throwing it to another boy on a bike.
Synonyms
run, race, dart, rush, dash, hasten, hurry, scurry, scuttle, scamper, hare, bolt, bound, fly, gallop, career, charge, pound, shoot, hurtle, speed, streak, whizz, zoom, go like lightning, go hell for leather, go like the wind, flash
informal tear, pelt, scoot, hotfoot it, leg it, belt, zip, whip, go like a bat out of hell, step on it, get a move on, get cracking, put on some speed, stir one's stumps
British informal hop it, bomb, go like the clappers
North American informal boogie, hightail it, barrel, get the lead out
informal, dated cut along
archaic post, hie
noun
1An act or short spell of running at full speed: Greg broke into a sprint [as modifier]: MacFarlane won the 1,500m with a fine sprint finish...
- During the last 10 seconds of your 60-second recovery jog, crank up the speed for your next sprint.
- Tal forgot where he was and ignored the stubborn pain in his leg, running at a full sprint.
- I've also been joining the Road Runners for weekly runs that vary in length and type, including slow jogs, hills, sprints and speed running.
1.1A short, fast race in which the competitors run a distance of 400 metres or less: the 100 metres sprint...
- Radanova was world champion in 2000, when she won the 500-metre sprint.
- I hope to take up athletics and would like to compete in either the 100 metre or 200 metre sprint.
- He was also a Lancashire athletics sprint champion and a more than adequate club cricketer.
1.2A short, fast race in cycling, swimming, etc.By winning the final sprint, the Australian champion prevented German Erik Zabel winning a seventh successive green jersey....
- Lenton also remained undefeated in sprint freestyle, winning her 4th gold medal of the tour.
- Teams then lined up on the water for two rounds of 400-metre sprint racing.
Origin
Late 18th century (as a dialect term meaning 'a bound or spring'): related to Swedish spritta.