† beˈspring, v. Obs.
Forms: 4 bispringen, 4–5 -sprynge(n, 5 be-. pa. tense 5 bysprang. pa. pple. 4 bispronge(n, 4–5 by-, 5 besprong.
[A late ME. variant of bespreng, in which the strong verb spring is substituted for the causal spreng.]
trans. To besprinkle; = bespreng. Hence beˈspringing vbl. n.
| 1387 Trevisa Descr. Brit. (Caxton) 54 With mylke of a cowe that is of one yeer bespringe the welle. 1398 ― Barth. De P.R. xi. iv, Ofte as a cloude byspryngeþ þe erþe with droppynge, he wasteþ him selfe in þat bispryngynge [ed. 1582 bespringing]. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 678 Barly coct and colde, and wyne besprong. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 291 Thou art al besprongen with the blood. c 1575 Jacob & Sonnes (Collier) 20 Their meat cloth they besprang all with gotes blood. |