▪ I. spright, n.1
(spraɪt)
Also 6 spryght(e.
[var. of sprite n., after native words in -ight.]
† 1. = spirit n. in various senses. Obs.
| 1536 Primer Hen. VIII, 2 Blessed be God,..W{supc}{suph} hath strengthened His feeble flock, W{supt}{suph} stedfast faith & bold spright. 1563 Googe Eglogs (Arb.) 54, I.. sought the chief[e]st means I could to helpe my weryed spryght. 1601 B. Jonson Poetaster iii. i, I drinke, as I would wright, In flowing measure, fill'd with flame and spright. a 1649 Drummond of Hawthornden Flowers Sion v. Wks. (S.T.S.) II. 41 Of this Light, Eternall, double, kindled was thy Spright Eternallie. c 1700 Dryden Cock & Fox 104 You groan,..As something had disturb'd your noble Spright. |
† b. pl. = spirit n. 17. Obs.
| 1577 St. Aug. Manual (Longman) 33 Thou preparest a table..against I come to refresh my appalled sprights. 1596 Spenser F.Q. v. iii. 40 Turne we here to this faire furrowes end Our wearie yokes, to gather fresher sprights. 1605 Shakes. Macb. iv. i. 127 Come Sisters, cheere we vp his sprights, And shew the best of our delights. |
2. A disembodied spirit, a ghost; a supernatural being, goblin, fairy, etc. (Cf. spirit n. 2 b and 3.)
| a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon cxxxii. 492 Glad was Huon when he had loste the syghte of the spryghte. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. x. 8 Where companing with feends and filthy Sprights,..They brought forth Giants. 1610 Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 381 Foote it featly heere, and there, and sweete Sprights beare the burthen. 1687 A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. i. 176, I lay at the foot of that Eminence, and the Sprights did not at all disturb my rest. 1731–8 Swift Polite Conv. Introd. 33 Some scrupulous Persons,..who, by a prejudiced Education, are afraid of Sprights. 1813 Hogg Queen's Wake 19 Each glen was sought for tales..Of boding dreams, of wandering spright. |
| transf. 1570 Googe Pop. Kingd. i. 4 An Emprour great of might, Whose necke was stampt and trode vpon by this deformed spright [sc. the Pope]. |
▪ II. † spright, n.2 Obs.—1
(See quot.)
| 1626 Bacon Sylva §704 It is certaine, that we had in use at one time, for Sea-Fight, short Arrowes, which they called Sprights, without any other Heads, save Wood sharpened; which were discharged out of Muskets. |
▪ III. † spright, a. Obs.—1
? Error for sprightly a.
| 1658 Earl of Monmouth tr. Paruta's Wars Cyprus 125 A spright youth, who..had carried himselfe gallantly in severall offices. |
▪ IV. † spright, v. Obs. rare.
[f. spright n.1]
1. trans. To haunt, as by a spright.
| 1611 Shakes. Cymb. ii. iii. 144, I am sprighted with a Foole, Frighted, and angred worse. |
2. To invest with spirit.
| 1611 J. Davies (Heref.) Commend. Poems, Coryat Wks. (Grosart) II. 13/2 To make Eyes delighted With that which by no Art can be more sprighted. |