Obs. exc. arch. in pa. t. and pa. pple. sprent. Forms: Inf. 1 sprengan, sprængan, 3–5 sprengen, 4–5 sprenge (5 spreinge). Pa. t. 1 sprengde, 3 spreinde, 4 sprende, spreynte, 5, 7 sprent. Pa. pple. α. 3 y-sprengd(e, 3–4 i-sprengde, 4 i-sprenged; 4 sprengde, sprengd, 4–6 sprenged, 5 sprengid(e, spreyngde. β. 3 i-spreind(e, 4 y-spreynd, y-spraind, spreind(e, 4–5 spreynd(e, spreyned, 5 spreined; 4–5 spreynt(e, 5 spreinte, 5, 7 spreint. γ. 4 sprende, 5 sprenct, 5–7 sprente, 5–7, 9 sprent, 6 sprant. [OE. spręngan (:—*sprangjan, f. the pret. stem of springan SPRING v.), = OFris. *sprenga (EFris. spræng, NFris. sprêng), *sprenza (WFris. springzje), MDu. and Du. sprengen, OHG. sprengan (MHG. and G. sprengen), ON. and Icel. sprengja (MSw. sprängia, Sw. spränga, Da. sprænge) to cause to spring, to sprinkle, etc. Cf. BESPRENGE v.]
1. trans. To sprinkle (a liquid, etc.). Also absol.
a. 941. Laws Athelstan, in Thorpe, Laws, I. 226. Sprænge se mæsse-preost haliʓ-wæter ofer hiʓ ealle.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Lev. iv. 17. Nime se sacerd his blod, and dyppe his finger þær on, and sprenge seofon siðon on þæt ryft.
1382. Wyclif, Isaiah lxiii. 3. Sprengd is the blod of hem vp on my clothis.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Cook’s T., 503. Gamelyn sprengeth holy-water with an oken spire.
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, IV. 3668. For she sawe blood spreint so cruelly On hir lordis dredful garnement.
a. 1536. Songs, Carols, etc. (1907), 69. The blode … Was sprente on þe people.
1591. Wilmot, Tancred & Gismund, V. i. The bloud … Sprent on his corps, and on his paled face.
b. To scatter, disperse, distribute, spread abroad or about, etc. Also absol.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xxv. 24. Þu ripst þær ðu ne seowe & gaderast þær ðu ne sprengdest.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 92. Wuteð to soðe þet euer so þe wittes beoð more ispreinde utwardes, se heo lesse wendet inwardes.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2542. Misbileue in to al þis lond among men was ysprengd.
1382. Wyclif, Eccl. iii. 5. Time of sprenging abrod stones, and time of gadering togidere.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1311. A fewe freknes in his face y-spreynd.
1642. H. More, Song of Soul, II. App. xlviii. What then shall hinder but a roscid air With gentle heat eachwhere be ’sperst and sprent.
1834. Ld. Houghton, Mem. Many Scenes (1844), 30. The diligent flock Tracks out the scant grass that is sprent on the rock.
1855. Singleton, Virgil, I. 316. Snowy Paros, and, sprent o’er the main, The Cyclades.
† c. To produce by sprinkling. Obs.–1
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 319. A swyþe foul þing is þat sed of ȝwan Man is i-spreind [v.r. þat man is mid i-sprenged].
2. To sprinkle (a person or thing) with some liquid. Also fig.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Exod. xxiv. 8. He nam þæt blod and sprengde þæt folc. Ibid., xxix. 21. Þu sprengst Aaron and his reaf.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 16. Hwon ȝe beoð al greiðe sprengeð ou mid hali water.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 202. Þe prior spreinde [v.r. sprende] him with holi water.
c. 1325. Prose Psalter l. 8. Þou sprengest me, Lord, wyþ þy mercy.
1382. Wyclif, Ps. l. 9. Thou shal sprenge me, Lord, with isope, and I shal ben clensid.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, XVII. vii. 699. A grete company of angels … took water whiche was brought by an angel … and sprente alle the shyp.
1495. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., IX. vi. 352. By nyghte somer bredyth dewe … and sprengyth [Bodl. MS. springeþ] therwyth grasse and herbes.
1578. T. Procter, Gorg. Gallery, in Heliconia (1815), I. 46. For fate … My youthly Yeares with tears hath sprent.
absol. c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 3291. Þer-wiþ sche mellede vynegre anon … þar þat fyr was setled on þe walle; oueral þer-with sche spreynte.
† b. To cleanse by or as by sprinkling. rare.
1382. Wyclif, Heb. x. 22. We, spreynt [v.r. sprengd] the hertis fro yuel conscience,… holde the confessioun of oure hope [1388 Be oure hertis spreined fro an yuel conscience.]
3. In pa. pple. and const. with: Besprinkled, besprent.
1382. Wyclif, Numb. vii. 19. A silueren fiole … ful of tryed flour spreynt with oyle.
c. 1400. N. Love, Bonavent. Mirr., i. (1908), 265. The crosse of oure lorde that was than spreyned with his preciouse … blood.
c. 1489. Caxton, Blanchardyn, vi. 25. The gentyl mayde … ful sprenct wyth grete teerys.
1540–54. Croke, 13 Ps. (Percy Soc.), 6. My bed with tears is over sprent.
1596. Spenser, F. Q. IV. ii. 18. Streames of bloud did rayle Adowne,… That all the ground with purple bloud was sprent.
1600. Holland, Livy, IV. xiv. 149. Being spreint with his bloud thus slaine.
a. 1618. Sylvester, Maiden’s Blush, 516. Hee teares his hoary haire, With Ashes sprent.
[1825. Brockett, N. C. Gloss., Sprent, bespattered, splashed with dirt.]
b. With reference to color.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. xxx. 39. The sheep shulden … beere spotty, and speckid, and spreyned with dyuers colour.
1552. Inv. Ch. Surrey (1869), 88. A vestment of blewe velvyt with a crosse of redde velvyt sprenged with gold.
c. 1563. Thersytes, in Hazl., Dodsley, I. 425. The spere of spanysshe spylbery sprente wt spiteful spottes.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. xii. 45. Other where the snowy substaunce [was] sprent With vermell.
1867. M. Arnold, Thyrsis, Poems (1877), II. 216. The cheek grown thin, the brown hair sprent with grey.
1883. R. Bridges, Prometheus, 1146. Gay-spun garments sprent with gold.
c. In fig. use.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boethius (1868), 42. Þe swetnesse of mannes welefulnesse is yspranid [sic] wiþ manye bitternesses. Ibid. (c. 1386), Man of Law’s T., 422. To worldly blisse spreynd with bitternesse.
a. 1450[?]. Lydg., Ord. of Fools (Cott.), 30. Tonge spreynte with suger, the galle kepte secrete.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, IV. i. 43. Quhar that our hous with broderis deid wes sprent.
Hence † Sprenged ppl. a., † Sprenging vbl. sb.
1382. Wyclif, Exod. xii. 34. Thanne the puple tok sprengid meel, or it were sowrid. Ibid., Num. xix. 9. Thei ben to the multitude … into water of sprengynge. Ibid., 1 Pet. i. 2. In to halewinge of the spirit, in to obedience, and sprengynge of the blood of Jhesu Crist, grace and pees to ȝou be multiplied.
