Also 6–7 spruse, 7 sprewse, 8–9 Sc. sprush. [perh. from SPRUCE sb. 1 b in the collocation spruce (leather) jerkin: cf. quot. 1609 in sense 2 b.]
† 1. Brisk, smart, lively. Obs.
In early quots. probably implying sense 2.
1589. R. Harvey, Pl. Perc., 14. There steps me in a third tricksie, neat, nimble, spruse Artificer.
1598. E. Guilpin, Skial. (1878), 21. Fine spruce young Pansa’s growne a malcontent.
1606. Warner, Alb. Eng., XVI. ci. (1612), 399. The sprewsest Citie-Lads for her would faine the Countrie-aire.
1691. Wood, Ath. Oxon., II. 496. He was a person … of a quick, warm, spruce and gay-fancy.
1705. Hickeringill, Priest-cr., II. vii. 68. A Young Gentleman (of Spruce Natural Parts, and Ingenuous Disposition).
transf. 1634. Milton, Comus, 985. Along the crisped shades and bowres Revels the spruce and jocond Spring.
1642. H. More, Song of Soul, IV. x. Here Aristophanes Doth maken sport with some spruse Comedy.
1749. Chesterf., Lett., ccii. (1792), II. 265. A spruce, lively air, fashionable dress; and all the glitter that a young fellow should have.
2. Trim, neat, dapper; smart in appearance: a. Of persons, in respect of dress, etc. Also transf.
α. 1599. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., Charact. Persons, A Neat, spruce, affecting Courtier, one that weares clothes well, and in fashion.
1602. Breton, Wonders Worth Hearing, Wks. (Grosart), II. 12/2. These youths of the parish, that are so spruse in their apparell, haue little money in their purses.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), II. 111. He fancies himself a dainty spruce Shepherd, with a Flock and a fine silken Shepherdess, that follows his Pipe.
1718. Freethinker, No. 29. 206. Notwithstanding the Gilt Chariot, the spruce Figure within is but an Idol.
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, IV. 163. He’ll make himself so spruce, he says, we sha’n’t know him again.
1818. Creevey, in C. Papers (1904), I. 279. He was singularly smug and spruce in his attire,… in new cloaths from top to bottom.
1876. T. Hardy, Ethelberta, I. 209. Making themselves as spruce as bridegrooms of a mild kind, according to the rules of their newly-acquired town experience.
β. 1719. W. Hamilton, Ep., II. xii. in Ramsay’s Poems. And then thou’d be sae far frae shabby, Thou’d look right sprush.
a. 1774. Fergusson, On Seeing a Butterfly, Poems (1845), 18. Kind Nature lent, but for a day, Her wings to mak ye sprush and gay.
1840. A. Laing, Wayside Flowers (1878), 144. Mak’ the bridegroom sprush and gay.
b. Of apparel, appearance, etc.
1609. Dekker, Gull’s Horn-bk., Wks. (Grosart), II. 202. Euen he that iets vpon the neatest and sprucest leather … will be glad to fit themselues in Will Sommer his wardrob.
1653. W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored, 242. [They] shall endeavour to live neatly and in a comely spruce manner.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 49, ¶ 8. The spruce Nightcap of his Valet.
1755. Young, Centaur, ii. Wks. 1757, IV. 148. Your spruce appearance is a perfect forgery.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, viii. Altogether exhibiting an aspect … unlike the spruce and dapper importance of his ordinary appearance.
1853. C. Brontë, Villette, v. Her spruce attire flaunted an easy scorn to my plain garb.
Comb. 1602. 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass., II. v. 765. Wold it not gal a man to see a spruse gartered youth … be a broker for a liuing.
c. Of places, buildings, etc.
1639. Fuller, Holy War, V. xxii. 267. Norway in that age the sprucest of the three kingdomes of Scandia, and best tricked up with shipping. Ibid. (1642), Holy & Prof. St., II. xxiii. 147. Commonly some new spruce town, not farre off, is grown out of the ashes thereof.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, VI. 439. The Houses are more spruce here than ordinary.
1781. Hayley, Triumphs Temper, II. 125.
| Whose prostrate castle guarded once the lands, | |
| Where, spruce in motley pride, his villa stands. |
1792. A. Young, Trav. France, 249. What would a Watson … or a Priestley say, upon a proposal to have their laboratories brushed out clean and spruce?
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Stonehenge, Wks. (Bohn), II. 127. The Cathedral [of Salisbury], which was finished 600 years ago, has even a spruce and modern air.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. vi. Many a sprucer public-house.
d. In miscellaneous uses.
1648. J. Beaumont, Psyche, VI. xciii. Of younger Serpents an intangled fry Thick in the sprucer Networks twisted were.
1657. G. Thornley, Daphnis & Chloe, 171. These were encompassed with a spruce, thin hedge.
1706. J. Philips, Imit. Milton, 121. Small need of art To form spruce architrave or cornice quaint.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xl. Kit rubbed down the pony and made him as spruce as a racehorse.
1863. Kinglake, Crimea (1877), III. i. 248. The spruce beauty of the slender red line.
e. Of immaterial things.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., Induct. He speakes with a spruce attick accent of adulterate Spanish.
1658. Sir T. Browne, Hydriot., Ded. He that will illustrate the excellency of this order, may easily fail upon so spruce a Subject.
1687. Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., II. s.v., A spruce Phrase, for a fine Phrase, une belle Phrase.
1822. Hazlitt, Table T., xxvi. My sensations are all glossy, spruce, voluptuous, and fine.
Comb. 1721. Ramsay, Answ. to Burchet, 22. When the pride of sprush-new words are laid.
3. adv. = SPRUCELY adv.
a. 1618. J. Davies (Heref.), Wit’s Pilgr., xci. Ile speake more spruce, yet call a Spade, a Spade.
a. 1796. Burns, Tither Morn, ii. His bonnet he, a thought ajee, Cock’d sprush when first he clasp’d me.
1824. Scott, Redgauntlet, ch. ix. Cock up your beaver, and cock it fu’ sprush.
