▪ I. sprunt, n.1 Now dial.
[f. sprunt v.]
A convulsive movement; a start; a spring or bound.
| 1693 Phil. Trans. XVII. 876 Then (having just only opened her Eyes and made Two Sprunts, without speaking one word) [she] dyed immediately. a 1800 Pegge Suppl. Grose, Sprunt, or Sprint, a spring in leaping, and the leap itself. Derb. 1847–79 in dial. glossaries (Derby, Northampt., Shropsh., Warw.). |
▪ II. † sprunt, n.2 Obs.—0
[cf. next.]
‘Anything that is short and will not easily bend’ (Johnson, 1755).
In the quot. applied to an obstinately curly lock of hair.
| c 1710 Congreve Poems Sev. Occas., Impossible Thing, This Sprunt its Pertness sure will lose When laid (said he) to soak in Ooze. |
▪ III. sprunt, a. ? Obs.
[prob. related to next.]
Brisk, active, smart, spruce.
| 1616 [implied in spruntly adv.]. a 1652 Brome Mad Couple v. ii, La. Pray Mr. Thrivewell entertaine the Lady. Car. Another sprunt youth. 1653 H. More Antid. Ath. i. xi. §8 That little sprunt Piece of the Brain which they call the Conarion. 1668 G. C. in H. More Div. Dial. Pref. i. p. xii, This little sprunt Champion, called the Conarion,..within which the Soul is entirely cooped up. [1687 Miége Gt. Fr. Dict. ii, Sprunt, wonderful active. 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), Sprunt, wonderful active, lively, or brisk. (Hence in Bailey.)] 1719 D'Urfey Pills I. 146 Nell dress'd as sprunt as a Daizy. a 1828 T. Bewick The Upgetting (1850) 13 Thou can get on thee sister's shoun..and mheyk thee sell leuk varra sprunt wouth them. |
▪ IV. sprunt, v. Now dial.
(sprʌnt)
[app. related to sprent v. and sprint v.]
intr. To spring or start; to move in a quick or convulsive manner; to dart or run.
| 1601 Holland Pliny xxiii. vi, No sooner tast they of them, but the childe doth stir and sprunt in their wombe. 1603 ― Plutarch's Mor. 1277 The armie of Alexander, after it had lost and forgone him, did no more but sprunt, pant, struggle and strive for life. 1656 Trapp Matt. iv. 2 Beasts that have their death's wound, bite cruelly, sprunt exceedingly. 1690 C. Nesse Hist. & Myst. O.N. Test. i. 216 Those twins spurned and sprunted in her womb. 1740 Somerville Hobbinol. iii. 393 See! this sweet-simp'ring Babe, Dear Image of thyself; see! how it sprunts With Joy at thy Approach! 1789 Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France II. 193 Wonderfully indeed did the players struggle, and bounce, and sprunt. 1823 in Spirit Public Jrnls. 528 He sprunted about among their legs lustily. 1854– in dialect glossaries (Yks., Derby, Northampt., Warw.). 1897 E. W. Hamilton Outlaws of Marches xvii. 187 I'll just sprunt up the water and cross abune the forkings. |
Hence ˈsprunting vbl. n.
| 1643 Trapp Gen. xxxii. 28 Their faint oppositions, and spruntings before death. 1647 ― Rev. xii. 8 Their late utmost endeavours..were but as the last spruntings, or bitter-bites of dying beasts. |