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 knyghtis 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.
158590. 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. Tarras, Poems, 73. Im content to see ye spraint, Right free o dool an care.
1897. Ld. E. Hamilton, Outlaws of 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.
a. 140050. 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. 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. rare0.
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 mornings 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. Yor sprentin the watter aal ower the place.
Hence † Sprenting vbl. sb., a springing, a leap.
143250. trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 369. Also there be in Yrlonde iij. weres, ouer whom salmones wylle passe þro a sprentenge.