▪ I. † sprent, n.1 Obs. rare.
[Of obscure origin.]
? A young turbot or other flat-fish.
| 1324–5 Durh. Acc. Rolls (Surtees) 14 In 12 Rayes, 9 Sprentes de t{supr}botes;..3 Sprentes de t{supr}botes, 6 kelinges. Ibid., In..12 torbotes sprentes [pr. sprontes. Cf. 1531–2 Durh. Househ.-bk. (Surtees) 122, 5 lyngs, 1 but, et 1 butspreynte. 1532–3 Ibid., 3 lyngs et 3 butsprents.]. |
▪ II. sprent, n.2 north. and Sc.
[f. sprent v. Cf. Icel. sprettr a short gallop, Norw. sprett a sprinkle, splash, etc.]
1. † a. A sprinkler. Obs.—1
| 14.. in J. R. Boyle Hedon (1875) App. 120 Pro factura..iij. sprentes et j. kilpe pro le haliwater. |
b. A sprinkle; a spot or stain caused by sprinkling. Chiefly north. dial.
| 1860 Holme Lee Leg. fr. Fairy Land 1 This gossamer was finer than any spider's web, and all over it were sprents of dew. 1865– in Yks. and Lancs. glossaries. |
2. a. A spring, leap, bound.
| 1513 Douglas æneid xi. xiv. 68 The serpent..In lowpyt thrawis wrythis wyth mony a sprent. 1887 in Darlington S. Chesh. Gloss. |
b. A spring of a lock, etc. Also fig.
| 1621 Ld. Dunfermline in G. Seton Mem. (1882) 130, I find me now far remoued from the springs or sprentis that mouis all the resortis off our gouerment. 1645 Rutherford Tryal & Tri. Faith (1845) 31 When there is a stone in the sprent and in-work of the lock, the key cannot open the door. 1808 Jamieson s.v., The back sprent of a clasping knife. |
c. (See quot.)
| 1710 Ruddiman Gloss. Douglas' æneis s.v., We use the word sprent, for the spring, or elastick force of any thing. |
3. The fastening or hasp of a chest, trunk, etc. Also attrib.
| 1511 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. IV. 276 For expens maid..one the said organis..in naillis and sprentis of irne. 1570 Henry's Wallace iv. 238 Wraithly till it [the door] he went; Be force of handis it raisit out of the sprent [v.r. stent]. 1644 in Trans. Antiq. Soc. Scot. (1792) I. 174 A key and sprent band. 1808 in Jamieson. 1855– in Yks. and Northumbld. glossaries. 1875 W. Welsh Poet. & Prose Wks. 67 Open that auld kist wi' the sprent. |
4. A springe or snare.
| 1822 Lonsdale Mag. III. 13 (E.D.D.) Catching partridges and woodcocks in sprents. 1878– in Cumberland glossaries. |
▪ III. sprent, v. Now only north. dial. and Sc.
Also 9 Sc. spraint.
[a. early Scand. *sprenta (ON. and Icel. spretta, Norw. spretta, Sw. sprätta, Da. sprætte), the causal weak vb. corresponding to *sprinta sprint v., but in Eng. chiefly used intransitively.]
1. intr. Of persons, animals, etc.: To spring, spring forward, jump, leap; to move quickly or with agility.
Freq. in the 15th c.; usually in the past tense and const. with advs. and preps.
| α 13.. Cursor M. 12527 (Gött.), A nedder sprent vte of þe sand, And stanged iame. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1896 As he sprent ouer a spenné, to spye þe schrewe. 1375 Barbour Bruce xii. 49 Than sprent thai sammyn in-till a lyng. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 3311 Bot ȝit he sprange and sprente, and spraddene his armes. a 1450 Le Morte Arth. 1846 To the chambyr dore he sprente. Ibid. 1892 The kynghtis sprent as they were wode. 1508 Dunbar Gold. Targe 242 Wyth spirit affrayde apon my fete I sprent. 1513 Douglas æneid xi. xiii. 158 And furth scho sprent as spark of gleid or fyre. 1585–90 J. Stewart Poems (S.T.S.) II. 59 Quho mycht be formest, formest sprent away. Ibid. 65 Vith na les speid than this my pen may sprent. |
| β 1804 W. Tarras Poems 73 I'm content to see ye spraint, Right free o' dool an' care. 1897 E. W. Hamilton Outlaws Marches i. 3 Here am I sprainting after ye this mile past. |
† b. Of things, esp. blood: To spring, fly, spurt out or about. Obs.
| c 1325 MS. Tiberius E. vii. fol. 70 Þair mowthes er like a pot welland, Wharof hate dropes ay sprentes out. c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 6814 Thurgh sparkes of fire þat obout sal sprent. c 1400–50 Alexander 743 Als sprent of my spittyng a specke on þi chere, Þou sall be diȝt to þe deth. a 1470 Harding Chron. cxv. ix, The bloodde..sprent out, all hote and newe, Into his eyen. |
† c. Of smell: To arise, issue; to be given out or forth. Obs. rare.
| c 1480 J. Watton Spec. Chr. 46 b, Their oyle was medled with swete oynement Out of whiche swete sauour sprent. 1513 Douglas æneid xii. Prol. 142 Redolent odour vp from rutis sprent. |
† d. To sprout or shoot. Obs. rare—0.
| 1647 Hexham i, To Sprout or sprent; siet boven to Spring. |
† 2. To spring by breaking or splitting; to shiver in or into splinters. Obs.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 7248 And aither lede full lyuely lachit vpon other, Þat his speire alto sprottes sprent hom betwene. c 1470 Henry Wallace x. 23 Than speris sone all in to splendrys sprent. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 819 Their speiris in splenders away Abufe thair heid sprent. |
3. trans. To sprinkle, spatter, or splash.
| 1788 W. H. Marshall Yorksh. II. 355 To Sprent, to splash or smear with small spots. 1835 Clare Rural Muse 36 What hour the dewy morning's infancy..sprents the red thighs of the humble bee. 1855 [Robinson] Whitby Gloss., To Sprint or Sprent, to splash, to bespot, or squirt upon with a fluid. 1894 Heslop Northumbld. Gloss. 680 Yo'r sprentin the watter aal ower the place. |
Hence † ˈsprenting vbl. n., a springing, a leap.
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) I. 369 Also there be in Yrlonde iij. weres,..ouer whom salmones wylle passe þro a sprentenge. |
▪ IV. sprent(e
pa. tense and pple. of sprenge v.