Spring v. i. [imp. Sprang or Sprung p. p. Sprung; p. pr. & vb. n. Springing.]
  1. To leap; to bound; to jump.
  The mountain stag that springs
  From height to height, and bounds along the plains.   --Philips.
  2. To issue with speed and violence; to move with activity; to dart; to shoot.
  And sudden light
  Sprung through the vaulted roof.   --Dryden.
  3. To start or rise suddenly, as from a covert.
     Watchful as fowlers when their game will spring.   --Otway.
  4. To fly back; as, a bow, when bent, springs back by its elastic power.
  5. To bend from a straight direction or plane surface; to become warped; as, a piece of timber, or a plank, sometimes springs in seasoning.
  6. To shoot up, out, or forth; to come to the light; to begin to appear; to emerge; as a plant from its seed, as streams from their source, and the like; -- often followed by up, forth, or out.
     Till well nigh the day began to spring.   --Chaucer.
     To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth.   --Job xxxviii. 27.
     Do not blast my springing hopes.   --Rowe.
     O, spring to light; auspicious Babe, be born.   --Pope.
  7. To issue or proceed, as from a parent or ancestor; to result, as from a cause, motive, reason, or principle.
  [They found] new hope to spring
  Out of despair, joy, but with fear yet linked.   --Milton.
  8. To grow; to thrive; to prosper.
  What makes all this, but Jupiter the king,
  At whose command we perish, and we spring?   --Dryden.
  To spring at, to leap toward; to attempt to reach by a leap.
  To spring forth, to leap out; to rush out.
  To spring in, to rush in; to enter with a leap or in haste.
  To spring on or To spring upon, to leap on; to rush on with haste or violence; to assault.
  Sprung imp. & p. p. of Spring.
  Sprung, a. Naut. Said of a spar that has been cracked or strained.
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  spring
       n 1: the season of growth; "the emerging buds were a sure sign of
            spring"; "he will hold office until the spring of next
            year" [syn: springtime]
       2: a natural flow of ground water [syn: fountain, outflow,
          outpouring, natural spring]
       3: a metal elastic device that returns to its shape or position
          when pushed or pulled or pressed; "the spring was broken"
       4: a light springing movement upwards or forwards [syn: leap,
           leaping, saltation, bound, bounce]
       5: the elasticity of something that can be stretched and
          returns to its original length [syn: give, springiness]
       6: a point at which water issues forth
       v 1: move forward by leaps and bounds; "The horse bounded across
            the meadow"; "The child leapt across the puddle"; "Can
            you jump over the fence?" [syn: jump, leap, bound]
       2: develop into a distinctive entity; "our plans began to take
          shape" [syn: form, take form, take shape]
       3: spring back; spring away from an impact; "The rubber ball
          bounced"; "These particles do not resile but they unite
          after they collide" [syn: bounce, resile, take a hop,
           bound, rebound, recoil, reverberate, ricochet]
       4: produce or disclose suddenly or unexpectedly; "He sprang a
          new haircut on his wife"
       5: develop suddenly; "The tire sprang a leak"
       6: produce or disclose suddenly or unexpectedly; "He sprang
          these news on me just as I was leaving"
       [also: sprung, sprang]