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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, v. Also: spryng. Pres. t. also sprinis. P.t. sprang(e, sprung. P.p. sprung(in, -yn, spruning, sprong(in, -yn, spronnge, sproung, spring(in, spryng. [ME and e.m.E. springenn (Orm), spring (Cursor M.), spryng(en (Chaucer). P.t. sprong (c1200), sprang (Cursor M.), sprung (1667). P.p. sprungen, isprunge (both c1175), sprongen (Gower), sprong (a1400), OE springan.]See also Outspring v., Upspring v.

1. intr. Of a liquid, etc.: To arise, issue, spring fra (furth) of (a source). Also const. furth, out and without construction. a1400 Leg. S. xxix 474.
Wa is me That wyf has tynt & barnis fre, As thing wes sprongyn of the stan a1400 Leg. S. iii 848.
Of his grawe … swet manna sprange And oyle a1500 Bk. Chess 1251.
The teris wald come springand fro his eyne 1513 Doug. x Prol. 80.
Of the byrnand low the flambys brycht Perpetualy suld heit haue sprung 1531 Bell. Boece I xxvi.
Tweid first springis fra ane small fontane 1533 Boece 330.
Fra leggis, fete, and neris … sprang the attry worsum c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3915.
The bludy strandis Quhilkis sprang furth of his feit and handis c1590 J. Stewart 148/10.
Quhan thay prepair to flyt … Sic filthie air … dois spring From mouths maling 1596 Dalr. II 46/32.
Robert Grahames hand … was sa hard bund vpon the gybbet that the blude sprang out c1641–54 J. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 547.
Ovir on the mouth of Carroun as it falleth in the sea is Innercarroun … Betwix Skormyvarr whair Chattoun springeth and Tayn 30 myl 1688 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 248.
They did sie the barme spring furth … and gott coogs and keeped it

b. fig. Of a non-material thing: To arise, come out of, fra, etc. (a source); to arise betuix (people); to have its source in (something). Also const. up and without construction. c1420 Wynt. v 2740.
Off the empyre, the reawte The state [etc.] … Owte off the well off pyte spryngys c1420 Ratis R. 655.
Al gudnes … Springis fra thaim 14.. Acts I 112/2.
Taylis … thruch the quhilkis mater of discord may spryng betuix the kyng & his pepill a1500 Henr. Fab. 12 (Bann.).
So springis thair a morall sueit sentence Out of the scitell dyt of poetre 1490 Irland Mir. I 103/13.
As the licht schynis and apperis throu the lanterne, richtsa gret purite and halines of hire saule sprange furthe of hire visage c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 158.
Curage in thame was noucht begonne to spring 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 138.
In my hart sprang no humylitie 1561 Cal. Sc. P. I 582.
The freindship and luif which must spring of the lyklyhode of these two princesses 1562-3 Winȝet I 101/7.
And thairthrow specialie all misordour or abuse that iustlie can be allegeit maist chieflie to hef sprung [MS spronnge] 1562-3 Winȝet II 60/12.
Force it is that this maner spring vp vniversalie, that na thing eftir this in the Kirk may be left vntwecheit 1567 Sat. P. iv 176.
All warldlie blis is mixt with bitternes, Springand with ioy, endand with wretchitnes a1568 Bann. MS 222a/7.
Trewth and womanheid Springyth in ȝow as flouris in the meid 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (STS) 399.
All heresyis springand and rysand a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 69.
Sion Hill … Quhar perfect plesure sprinis

c. Of a source: To produce, issue forth (of, with a liquid). c1400 Troy-bk. i 257.
Fresche wellis fare & suet spryngand 1456 Hay II 128/10.
Than the wellis begynnis till habound in wateris, and stryndis to spring 1531 Bell. Boece I vii.
Ane silver fontane sprang of watter cleir 1533 Bell. Livy I 125/30.
The wound that was springand with huge stremes of blude

2. Of day, the morning, etc.: To begin. b. Of the sun or moon: To rise. ?1438 Alex. i 78.
In the morning, Richt as the day begouth to spring a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 835.
The king and his knihtis … In armour dewly hym dight, be the day sprang c1475 Wall. viii 1183.
The mery day sprang fra the oryent a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 474.
Thai gadderit alsone as the day couth spring c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxxviii 21.
Sprungin is Aurora … On loft is gone the glorius Appollo 1553 Knox III 92.
Yf at evin cum sorrow … befoir the mornyng spring I sall reduce and bring gladnesb. c1500 Crying of Play 87.
He wald stepe oure the occeane se The mone sprang neuer abone his kne c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 4.
Up sprang the goldyn candill matutyne

3. To grow. a. Of vegetation. Also const. up. Also in fig. context. b. Of a man's beard.a. 1375 Barb. v 13.
The treis begouth to ma Burgeonys … And all grewis begouth to spryng ?1438 Alex. ii Prol. 1.
In mery May, quhen medis springis c1420 Wynt. i Prol. 127 (C).
That rois That spanys, spreidis and euer springis a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 92.
Natur spryngis and will nocht spair a1500 Henr. Fab. 10.
Throw a bustious eird Swa it be laubourit with grit diligence Springis the flouris and the corne a1500 Henr. Fab. 870 (Bann.).
The spice than spred to spring on euery spray a1500 Henr. Orph. 90 (Asl.).
Wardlie ioye … Lyke till a flour that plesandly will spring, Quhilk fadis sone a1500 Bk. Chess 1364.
The teilman … suld … Treis cut plant and gar thaim spring c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 4/41.
Now spring up flouris fra the rute … Lay out ȝour levis lustely 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 79.
So thik the plantis sprang in euery peyce 1528 Lynd. Dreme 431.
[The sun] garris heirbis spryng Throuch the cauld eirth a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xv 49.
On my staitly stalk I florish fresh I spring I sprout My leivis ly outfig. 1562-3 Winȝet II 59/22.
God forbid … that … of cannal and balme … spring wp guild and humlokis 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 9/32.
Of this roote … springs innumerable branches; such as … cheiromancie [etc.]b. ?1438 Alex. i 677.
His beird of new begouth to spring 1513 Doug. ix iv 38.
Hys vissage ȝyng, Ȝit nevir schavyn, with pilis newly spryng 1513 Doug. xii iv 160.
Chekis … Quharon the soft berd newly dyd furth spryng

c. To grow in size. Freq. const. he, hechar. Also in fig. context. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxi 40.
I mycht be now tein in for eild My beikis ar spruning he and bauld c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 160.
With that sprang up hir spreit be a span hechar c1500 Makc. MS xiii 103.
Staturiso, to spring 1531 Bell. Boece II 67.
The prelatis … havand gret displeseir that thir errouris wer sprong sa hie amang thair pepill

d. Of the breasts: To swell with milk. 1590 Crim. Trials I ii 208.
Thow … baid hir ressaue hir milk … and hir palpis sprang out full of milk

4. Of news, fame, etc.: To spread, disseminate, become known. 1375 Barb. ii 78.
Our all the land the word gan spryng That the Bruce the Cumyn had slayn a1500 Henr. Orph. 73.
His noble fame so far it sprang and grewe c1475 Wall. xi 268.
Knawand the worschip, and the gret nobilnace Off hym quhilk sprang that tym in mony place c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 849.
Out throw the land than sprang the fame That Squyer Meldrum wes cum hame 15.. Clar. v 1254.
Out throw the world springin is ȝour name a1578 Pitsc. I 11/6.
That of thy fame nothing as ȝit be sprong Into the cuntrie

5. To move, leap (forward, furth, vp). c1450-2 Howlat 292 (A).
He wald nocht spair for to spring on a gud speid a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 305.
Thayr wes na spurris to spair, spedely thai spring 1513 Doug. v vi 89.
With rerd and favorabil hailsyngis furth he sprang Arundel MS 251/368.
Sanct Johnne the baptist, that with gret ioy sprang … than being within the wame of his moder 1585 James VI Ess. 47.
She sprang vp heigh, outfleing euery fa a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 208 (W).
With flicht than on hicht than, Sprang Cupid in the skyis 1632 Lithgow Trav. i 37.
I sprung forward through the throng 1640 Lithgow Poet. Remains 202.
She [sc. Sion] springs through briers and ’mongst sharpe thorns doth live Like to the rose in midst of thistles wonne

b. To dance. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 506.
The wikit wife gert hir dochtir ga … & spring & loupe befor thaim al

c. Of a spark: To leap till something. Only fig. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 512.
Ane spark of lufe than till his hart culd spring, And kendlit all his bodie in ane fyre

d. Of a spear: To fly in(to) splinters. c1475 Wall. ix 921.
Speris … all in to splendrys sprang 1535 Stewart 28604.
Speris brak, and all in spalis sprang

e. Of a leak: To appear. Const. up. 1664 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 480.
They having tuo leckes sprung up with the said stresse [of weather]

6. To become prominent, to come to notice. Also const. up. 1587 Acts III 463/1.
That compt be tane anis in the ȝeir … quhat personis plegeit for ar deid and quhat ȝoung men sprung up in thair race and clan able to offend

7. To descend, take one's lineage or origins fra, etc. (a person, line of descent, etc.). b. To be born fra (a mother).The J. Stewart quot. may belong in prec. paragraph. ?a1500 Obsecro 70.
The king Quhom of, Lady, thow can spring 1513 Doug. vi x 48.
The maist dowchty lynage sprang be kynde Fra Kyng Tewcer 1513 Doug. vii iv 202.
Stedis … Of the ilke stok and stude sprungyn 1533 Boece 53b.
Of thir sprang certane quhilk war … exilit … and fallowit thame with vtheris of Pichtis blude c1552 Lynd. Mon. 452.
Mankynde sprang furth of Adamis loynis a1568 Scott i 199.
So be discence the same sowld spring of thé 1596 Dalr. I 134/29.
The lawful ȝouth quha rycht be lyne was sproung of the kingis bludeb. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxvi 22.
Princes of peis … Our wicht invinsable … sprang thé fra c1590 J. Stewart 210 § 41.
The bowllin beists … Sprong from the former serpent a1605 Montg. Sonn. x 4.
From Jove ingendrit and from Pallas sprung

8. tr. To cause to issue, spring up. b. ? To discover (someone) to be wicked, to find (someone) out. c. To set off (a mine). d. To cause (a leak) to appear.a. ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1884) 45.
This well treuly springs up certaine little round quhyte things … lykest to the shape and figure of ane little cokill 1719 Dalyell Darker Superst. 40.
Jerriswood's leggs wer taken doun to be burreyed, after they had hung some time, and they sprang bloodb. a1649 Drummond II 218/5.
Would yee know these royall knaues … Who our vnion do defame With rebellions wicked name? Read these verses, and yee il spring them, Then on gibbetes straight cause hing themc. 1680-6 Lauder Observes 105.
They had sprung many mines, bombs, and granardsd. a1688 Wallace Orkney 3.
A stone about the bigness of a foot-ball, which fell in the midst of the boat and sprung a lake in it