A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Spring, n. Also: springe, spryng, spreing, sprink. [ME and e.m.E. sprunge (a1225), springe (c1250), spring (Cursor M.), OE spring, spryng.]
I. 1. a. A source of water or of a stream or river. b. A stream or body of water issuing from a source. c. Springwell, = a or b above. Also attrib.a., b. c1420 Wynt. i 967 (C).
Thar riweris ragis noucht for rayn … The watyr of Nyle our fletis it all Withe mowynge spryngis with outtyn spate a1500 Henr. Orph. 22.
Lyke as a strand of water or a spring Haldis the sapour of his fontall well, So did … ilk lord … Off forebearis … tuke tarage and smell 1490 Irland Mir. I 79/12.
Of this nobile fontane procedis foure nobile and gret riueris … thai haue thar springe first out of paradice 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3848.
Out of this well thair springs seuin greit springs 1568 Grant Chart. 387.
And fray the said spring linially west or thairby to ane karne 1579 Reg. Privy S. VII 311/1.
Per lie bog vocatum lie spring de Brumell 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. in Cath. Tr. (STS) 87/20.
Sa the flude Jordan ran contrare nature bakuart and returnit to the auin spring 1596 Dalr. I 27/21.
Ane … spring, of fyne, freshe and fair water 1596 Dalr. I 23/27.
Abone Edinburghe is a fontane, to wit a perpetuall spring of watir quhair gret drapis of oyle … spring vpe 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xx 14.
Tho springs and founts infuis thair liquid stoir 1675 Edinb. B. Rec. X 254.
The saids pairties … offers … to bring in water from the saids two springs to the main fountaine at Comestoun in a lead pyp(b) c1600 Pont Cunningham 8.
Loudon hill, one tope of vich ther is ane grate sprink of sueit vaterc. 1513 Doug. vii xii 133.
The woddis, … The cristal strandis, … cleir lakis and spryng wellis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3762.
In my ȝaird of watter sprang vp richt, A fresch spring wel c1630 Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 180.
All the fresh water in this countrie doth taste of salt sea water exceptand fresh springwells 1659 Old Ross-shire I 305.
Ane merch stane set a little above ane spring wellattrib. 1633 Orkney Bp. Ct. 85b.
Shoe consellit hir to take spring well watter and wash hir goodman their with 1662 Crim. Trials III 603.
I found his nature als cold within me as spring-wall-water
d. fig. A source of virtue, etc.c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxvi 5.
Rute of refute of mercy spring and well Of ladyis chois as is of letteris A 1551 Hamilton Cat. 38.
The well … and perpetuall spring of gudnes 1594 Crim. Trials I ii 336.
The Jesuitis, the pernitious springis and instrumentis of thir euills 1653 Binning Wks. 345.
Love and grace was the very first rise and spring of sending a Saviour … and so the original of that very purchase
2. An unusual rise in the level of a river or the sea, a high tide. b. Spring-tyd, a tide occurring just after the new or full moon in which the high-water is at its maximum. Also in fig. context.c1420 Wynt. iv 258.
Off that wattyr … sa schalde it sulde be made That, set a woman suld it wade, Hyr kneys off it suld noucht be wate For nakyne weddare, spryng, na spate c1420 Wynt. vii 641.
The se wytht a gret spryng At the Stokfurd mad stoppyng 1570–1 Reg. Privy S. VI 205/2.
The peir, schoir and havin … is now … be the occasioun of tempestuous wether … vehement stormis, greit stremis and hie springis becum sa ruynous the poirt … sa fillit with bankis of sand [etc.] 1580 Dundee Chart. No. 71.
Be occasioun of … vehemencie of stormes, great streames and hie springis 1596 Aberd. Council Lett. I 5.b. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1433.
The grittest spring tyd hath the grittest ebfig. c1620 Boyd Zion's Fl. 42.
In a spring tide sin doth overflowe
3. The spring of (in) the yeir, the beginning of the year, the Spring season. b. = sense 3. Also attrib. c. Spring-tyme, = sense 3 b.1529–30 Edinb. B. Rec. II 18.
Quharthrow mair dangeir apperis now in the spreing in the ȝeir than in the sesion of winter 1531 Bell. Boece II 206.
At the spring of the yeir, quhen every thing, be natural influence, convalescis 1533 Boece 452.
At spring [L. verno] of the ȝere 1561–2 Reg. Privy C. I 200.
The spring of the yeir, callit Lentryne a1578 Pitsc. I 101/8.
He … deferit his purpois quhill the spring of the ȝeirb. 1616 Laing MSS 147.
Is fullie resolved in the nixt approtcheing spring 1654 Inverness Rec. II 210.
For ics good jeastis to the bridge against the nixt spring 1681-91 Faithful Contendings xv.
Birds … choosing their mates in the springattrib. 1629 Boyd Last B. 104.
Yee shall shortlie perceiue a spring Januar of joy, after this dead December of distressesc. 1588 King Cat. H j.
The æquinoxe of springe tyme 1596 Dalr. I 25/3.
This guse ȝeirlie in the spring tyme returnes to ws 1614 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 11 Oct.
The council hes ordanit … thar thesaurar … to delyvir to the saids baillies & toun of Tranent to the supplement of the bigging of the said calsay xx lib. at spring tyme
4. The spring of (the) day, the first sign of day, dawn.1531 Bell. Boece I 171.
At the spring of the day, thay gaderit the … spulyeis 1533 Boece 113.
On the morne at spring of day na thing was sene … except the carions of men slane 1533 Boece 159.
Scottis with mervellus fervoure taryit the spring of day
5. The commencement of growth in (of) a plant.1587 Carmichael Etym. 17.
Germen, a young spring of trie or herb
II. 6. A lively dance tune. b. fig. or in fig. context. With reference to an action or a way of behaving or treating others.a1500 Henr. Orph. 144.
Playit he a spryng Quhill all the foulis of the wod can syng And treis dansit ?a1500 Rosw. & Lillian 820.
The minstrels play'd with pleasant spring 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 502.
In modulatioun hard I play and sing Faburdoun, priksang [etc.] … On croud, lute, harp, with mony gudlie spring a1568 Dunb. Bann. MS 155b/109.
I will no preistis for me sing … Bot a bagpyp to play a spring 1513 Doug. v xiii 135.
The swift Tritones, with trump playand thar spryng 1513 Doug. vi iii 29.
To stryfe prouoking the goddis with his springis 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 180.
He toned his dussie for a spring a1605 Montg. Flyt. 261 (T).
Spruug speidder of spyt, thow spewis furt[h] springis 1604 Old Dundee I 354.
[Not] to play that spring callit ‘Tobacco, or the Laird tint his gauntlet’ 1651 Dickson Matthew 130.
They … could not be moved either with piping or lighter springs, nor with mourning and sader songs 1683 Lauder Notices Affairs I 442.
Conveined for having reviled the minister, in causing the piper play The Deill stick the Minister. Sundry fidlers ware ther … to declare it was the name of ane spring 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 22.
Springproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 254.
Auld springs gevis na priceb. 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (STS) 398.
Na les ernest … was he aganis thame in his … playis … Sic ane spring he gaif thame [etc.] 1572 Sempill in Sat. P. xxxviii 21.
Bot now Prouest Marschell in playing this spring … Beleuis thow this trumprie sall stablische thy style? c1615 Breve Cron. Earlis Ross 15.
The clershear said he wald play ane spring that he never herd befoir … and so cutted his throat 1637 Ancram & Loth. Corr. I 97.
His daughters … had rather they tooke springs on there oune fiddles … for that I am affeard they will doe 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 350.
He will give you leave to sing as you please, but He will not dance to your daft spring 1653 Binning Wks. 595.
It may be, one man in one spring mixes these two, and makes good music alone 1653 Binning Wks. 597.
Christ … plays the most sweet spring, the renunciation of sin 1686 Reg. Privy. C. 3 Ser. XII 208.
If money com not up we most play to our sogiers the spring the peipper playd to his cow when he wanted straw
7. ? A fight or a contest, an instance of warfare or battle.a1500 Rauf C. 901.
We sall spuilȝe ȝow dispittously at the nixt springis … bodword haue I brocht. Chace Charlis … out of France c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxxiii 79.
Thay set avpone him with a ȝowle … Beft him with buffettis quhill he bled The sparhalk to the spring him sped Als fers as fyre of flynt
8. A springer, the support from which an arch rises.1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1437.
Subtile muldrie wrocht … On buttereis, jalme, pillaris and plesand springis [L. spryngis]
9. a. ? A curved piece of metal. b. A spring, the motive power of a mechanism.a. 1532 Treas. Acc. VI 73.
To Adam Leys goldsmyth for the mending of the kingis croune and making of the spryngis thairtob. 1690 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 209.
For dressing of the carrabines, making two main springs, two hammersprings [etc.]
