Also 7 spring-halt, 8 -hault. [app. an alteration of STRINGHALT, through association with SPRING v.1 Cf. WFlem. springhielde spavined.] = STRINGHALT. † Also as adj., affected with stringhalt.

1

1613.  Shaks., Hen. VIII., I. iii. 13. They haue all new legs, And lame ones; one would take it … the Spauen A[nd] Spring-halt rain’d among ’em.

2

1639.  Crabtree Lect., 67. Thou [a farrier] art troubled … with … the Spring-halt in thy hippes,… the Scratches in thy heels.

3

1718.  Bp. Hutchinson, Witchcraft, ix. 128. Dost thou not … twitch up thy Houghs just like a Springhault Tit?

4

a. 1843.  Southey, Comm.-pl. Bk., Ser. II. (1849), 535. Curious Cure for the Springhalt.

5

  attrib.  1899.  Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VII. 871. Sudden flexion of the leg or thigh … has been spoken of as ‘Springhalt tic.’ Ibid., 876. Sudden flexion of the leg or thigh may result in a spring-halt movement.

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