Also springhead. [f. SPRING sb.1 2 and 22. Cf. the earlier HEADSPRING.]

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  1.  The source or fountain of a stream or river; a well-head; = SPRING sb.1 2.

2

1561.  Daus, trans. Bullinger on Apoc. (1573), 303 b. Finally he sheweth also the originall or springe head of this riuer.

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1570.  T. Norton, trans. Nowell’s Catech. (1853), 181. Though they [dutiful works of godliness] be derived from the Spirit of God, as little streams from the spring-head.

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1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. iv. § 12. Water will not ascend higher than the levell of the first springhead from whence it descendeth.

5

a. 1691.  Boyle, Hist. Air (1692), 140. The place where it works most, is about 40 or 50 yards from the spring-head.

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1748.  Anson’s Voy., II. xii. 262. We found the water a little brackish, but … the nearer we advanced towards the spring-head the softer and fresher it proved.

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1787.  Best, Angling (ed. 2), 127. He may with delight observe the spring head … and confluxes of each particular river.

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1825.  Beverley Lighting Act, ii. 11. Aqueduct, feeder, pond or spring-head.

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1868.  Rep. U.S. Commissioner Agric. (1869), 328. Close below a spring-head dig a trench,… so that the whole water shall pass through it gently.

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  b.  fig. and in fig. context.

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1610.  J. Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God (1620), 549. We should go to drinke at truths spring-head.

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1647.  Cowley, Mistress, The Wish, iii. Here’s the Spring-head of Pleasures flood, Where all the Riches lie.

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1718.  Blackmore, Alfred (1723), II. 38. At the Spring-Head to drink the purest Streams … Of Truth Divine, I all my Hours apply’d.

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1816.  Coleridge, Lay Serm. (Bohn), 377. Out of which … all our other opinions flow, as from their spring-head and perpetual feeder.

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1837.  Whewell, Hist. Induct. Sci. (1857), I. 14. When our speculations are duly fed from the spring-heads of Observation,… we may have a living stream of … Knowledge.

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  c.  The source or fountain of some quality, the origin or cause of some action, etc.

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1555.  Harpsfeld, in Bonner, Hom., 9*. He wayeth ryghtlye hys synnes, from the originall roote and sprynge heade.

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1596.  G. Babington, Profit. Exp., 150. God is the author and verie spring head of all good.

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1642.  Answ. ‘Plain English,’ 5. I can lead them backward to the spring-head of their calamity.

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1669.  Gale, Ct. Gentiles, I. Introd. 4. Touching the spring-head and Derivations of human Arts and Sciences.

21

1694.  Atterbury, Serm. (1726), I. ii. 63. Love (the Spring-Head of Charity) as it is the sweetest of All Passions, so it is one of the strongest too.

22

1868.  Stanley, Mem. Westm. Abbey, 140. Those famous ‘seven sons’ [of Edward III.], the spring-heads of all the troubles of the next hundred years.

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1896.  Sunday Mag., Nov., 724. Who made London … the springhead of the world’s philanthropies?

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  2.  techn. (See quot.)

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1875.  Knight, Dict. Mech., 2290/2. Spring-head, a box, clutch or connection at the point of contact of the outer ends of an elliptic spring.

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