Forms: α. 3 spurie, 4–5 spure(n), 6–7 spurre, 6– spur (9 spurr), 8 spir. β. 4–6 spore, 5–6 sporre. [ME. spure, spore, f. SPUR sb.1 Cf. MDu. and Du. sporen, MHG. sporn, sporen (obs. G. sporen, spören, G. spornen), NFris. spöre, Sw. sporra.]
I. trans. 1. To prick (a horse, etc.) with the spur, in order to urge to a faster pace; to urge on by the use of spurs.
α. c. 1205. Lay., 26480. Þe eorles gunnen riden & spureden heore steden.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 3970. Balaam it spureð and smit ðor-on; And god vndede ðis asses muð.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, X. 417. For to fle he tuke no taryage; Spuryt the hors, quhilk ran in a gud randoun Till his awn folk.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xxvii. 67. Thay spurrit thair hors on adir syd.
1530. Palsgr., 731/1. I dare not spurre my hors, he is so wylde.
1612. Two Noble K., III. i. When I spur My horse, I chide him not.
1679. Dryden, Troil. & Cress., II. iii. Heaven made them horses, And thou … rid’st and spurr’st them.
1740. Somerville, Hobbinol, II. 218. He spur’d his sober Steed, grizled with Age.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1851), I. 408/1. He could scarcely make his horse go, though he spurred him continually.
1850. ‘H. Hieover’ (C. Brindley), Pract. Horsemanship, 193. The horse being whipped, spurred, and rated at while galloping, of course supposes he is doing something wrong, or is not galloping fast enough.
absol. 1607. Markham, Cavel., II. (1617), 133. To bring your horse to a quicknesse vpon the spurre, is to spurre seldom, but when you spurre, to spurre most surely.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., x. I am sure I spurred till his sides were furrowed.
β. c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 12719. He sporede his hors, forþ faste gan schake.
c. 1440. Generydes, 217. He sporyd his hors and theder toke the way.
c. 1475. Partenay, 4214. Gaffray that tyme … his coursere spored.
a. 1532. Ld. Berners, Huon, lviii. 198. He spored blanchardyn & cam agynst Gerames. Ibid., lxxxxi. 292. He sporred his horse that anone he ouer toke Huon.
b. With advs., as away, forth, on, up; or preps., as against, at, into, through, etc.
c. 1450. Merlin, xviii. 282. And whan thei saugh the cristin come thei sporred theire horse ouer the brigge at a brunt.
c. 1530. Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 82. He sporred forth hys horse, and ranne into the thyckest of the prease.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., IV. i. 1. Was that the King that spurd his horse so hard, Against the steepe vprising of the hill?
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., 474. They gore and spurre up the Ass to goe that way.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., III. 45. When the Rider spurs on his Horse to a full speed.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1851), I. 117/1. They spurred their horses to the encounter.
1788. Gibbon, Decl. & F., li. V. 357. He spurred his horse into the waves.
1812. Byron, Ch. Har., II. lvii. Some high-capp’d Tartar spurr’d his steed away.
1848. Lytton, Harold, I. iii. Edward spurred his steed up to the boor.
1894. Baring-Gould, Deserts S. France, II. 253. He spurred his horse to the side of the river.
c. fig. or in fig. context.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xxi. 13. Quhen trewth gois on his fute abowt, And lak of spending dois him spur.
1575. Gascoigne, Glasse of Govt., Wks. 1910, II. 26. Let shame of sinne, thy Childrens bridle be, And spurre them foorth, with bounty wysely used.
1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., I. v. Does thy hart With punching anguish spur thy galled ribs?
1846. Prescott, Ferd. & Isab., II. vi. II. 371. This same impulse … spurs guilty ambition along his bloody track.
1864. Tennyson, Aylmer’s F., 290. Him, glaring, by his own stale devil spurr’d, And, like a beast hard-ridden, breathing hard.
d. To make (one’s way) by spurring.
1842. Lover, Handy Andy, xxxvii. The rider … still spurred and plashed his headlong way through the heavy road.
2. fig. To drive on or hasten; to incite, impel or stimulate; to urge or prompt. Freq. const. to (do something, or some course of action).
a. 1225. Juliana, 59. Heo as þe deouel spurede ham to donne, duden hit unsparliche.
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 13. Þe ilke sari wrecches … beoð þe deuelles eaueres, þat rit ham & spureð ham to don al þat he wile.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 99 b. The Duke,… somwhat spurred and quyckened with these noueltyes, retired backe.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, xx. (1592), 319. A desire of honor whereby we be spurred to do well.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., II. i. 119. Ber. You must not be so quicke. Rosa. ’Tis long of you yt spur me with such questions.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Storm, ii. A throbbing conscience spurred by remorse Hath a strange force.
1663. Patrick, Parab. Pilgrim, xxvii. (1687), 304. If these Joys do not spur you to Obedience,… they are not of such value as you imagine.
1733. Cheyne, Eng. Malady, II. ix. (1734), 209. Any thing that will stimulate, rouze, and spur the dead and languishing Solids.
1769. E. Bancroft, Guiana, 371. They are spurred to industry by the whip of correction.
1803. Visct. Strangford, Poems of Camoens, Lusiad, VI. xl. (1810), 111. Some tale of joy, To spur the time that now so stilly stands.
1850. Dobell, Roman, iv. I spur my soul all day With thought of tyrants, woes and chains.
1874. Green, Short Hist., i. § 5. 48. The mention of Nero spurs him to an outbreak on the abuses of power.
absol. 1576. Gascoigne, Philomene, cciii. The flesh may spurre to euerlasting fire.
1611. B. Jonson, Catiline, III. iii. When need spurres, despaire will be call’d wisdome.
1738. Warburton, Div. Legat., I. iv. I. 60. Self-interest … spurring to Action, by Hopes and Fears.
b. With on.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 53. Too shock in coombats … Mee my wyl on spurreth.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, III. x. 83. With shame to spurre on the rest to amendment.
1663. Patrick, Parab. Pilgrim, xxiv. (1687), 259. And yet they spur on their hours, and would have them flye away faster than they do.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 67. Two Friends who … spurr’d him on perpetually with commendation.
1711. Swift, Jrnl. to Stella, 16 Nov. To spur on the French to be easy and sincere.
a. 1720. Sewel, Hist. Quakers, Pref. I was the more spurr’d on thereby to set down in due Order … what I knew of the Matter.
1812. Cary, Dante, Parad., IV. 14. Ire, that spurr’d him on to deeds unjust.
1854. Poultry Chron., 139/1. Spurred on with the certainty of a prize.
1874. Symonds, Sk. Italy & Greece (1898), I. xii. 231. He is … spurred on by yearnings after an unsearchable delight.
c. With up.
1645. Quarles, Sol. Recant., XII. xi. The wise mans words are like to Goads, that doe Stir up the drowzy, and spur up the slow.
1656. Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Advts. fr. Parnass., II. vi. (1674), 145. Riches made proud, and spurr’d him up to commit faults.
1710. Swift, Jrnl. Stella, 9 Dec. Why did not you … first spur up his recommendation to the height.
1732. Law, Serious C. (ed. 2), xviii. 331. A youth that has been spurr’d up to all his industry by ambition.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., ix. Spurring up the Legislature … to pass more stringent resolutions against escaping fugitives.
1871. E. F. Burr, Ad Fidem, xv. 305. A strong faith, spurred up by approaching death.
3. To provide with a spur or spurs; to furnish with gaffs.
13[?]. K. Alis., 6650 (Laud MS.). His spere takeþ Perdicas; His helys sporeþ Emudus.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, V. xxvii. (1737), 119. They … began to boot and spur one another.
17[?]. Young Hunting, in Child, Ball., II. 144/2. She has booted an spird Young Hunting As he had been gan to ride.
1832. Marryat, N. Forster, xlv. (Rtldg.), 246. The proper way in which they [cocks] should be spurred…. Two pairs of spurs were … made.
4. Of a bird: To strike or wound with the spur. Also transf.
1631. T. Drue, Dutches of Suffolk, iv. Why the Cocke ale has spurd thee already.
1805. [see LARK-SPURRED a.].
1863. Cowden Clarke, Shaks. Char., vi. 145. That man’s wife … would so peck and spur him, that he was a totally different man when in her company.
† 5. Card-sharping. (See quot.) Obs.–1
1674. Cotton, Compl. Gamester (1680), 95. They always fix half a score Packs of Cards … by slicking them or spurring them, that is, giving them such marks that they shall certainly know every Card in the Pack.
II. intr. 6. To ride quickly by urging on one’s horse with the spur. Also with it.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. i. 36. He tyres betimes, that spurs too fast betimes.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., II. 137. [He] than spurit with speid to Scotland, with lettres of commendatioun.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 49. The Parthians … spurring from the Fight, confess their fear. Ibid., Æneid, XI. 923. Spurring at speed, to their own walls they drew.
1816. Byron, Siege Corinth, xxii. Mount ye, spur ye, skirr the plain.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., ix. II. 436. Not a day passed on which he was not seen spurring from his villa to the Hague.
1891. Conan Doyle, in Cornhill Mag., Oct., 416. He and his troop would spur it over the drawbridge with clatter of hoofs hard at their heels and whistle of arrows about their ears.
b. With advs., as after, away, forward(s, on, up.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., III. i. 18. But all spurd after fast, as they mote fly.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. State, IV. i. 241. He doth not alwayes spurre up close to the Kings side.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, V. 872. Ascanius took th’ alarm,… And, spurring on, his equals soon o’erpass’d.
1795. Southey, Joan of Arc, III. 81. Saying thus, he spurr’d away.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xxxv. Two or three Stradiots then spurred on to examine this defile.
1883. Pennell-Elmhirst, Cream Leicestersh., 135. [He] spurred forward to check the solitary hounds.
fig. a. 1659. Bp. Brownrig, Serm. (1674), I. xxx. 386. Obstinacy spurs on in spight of all perswasions.
1673. Marvell, Reh. Transp., II. 82. The Gentleman thought it necessary to spur up again the next year with another new book.
c. transf. To hasten; to proceed hurriedly.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, II. xi. 31. A fair brycht sterne … Markand the way quhidder at we suld spur. Ibid., VII. iv. 19. He … fast gan spur … To mark the fundment of his new citie.
1666. Extr. St. Papers rel. Friends, Ser. III. (1912), 256. I shall be able to do more, goeing my owne way then by spurring to Fast.
1677. W. Mountagu, in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 324. The reason I had to spur on was, that … I found Sir John Robinson there.
7. a. To strike out with the foot; to kick.
1590. Nashe, Martin Marprelate, Wks. (Grosart), I. 232. What is this,… but to fall groueling to the earth…, and beeing downe … to kicke and spurre.
a. 1835. Hogg, Tales (1866), 150/2. After gluthering and spurring a wee while, they cam to again.
1870. Emerson, Soc. & Sol., Domestic Life. All day, between his three or four sleeps, he [an infant] sputters and spurs.
b. Of cocks, etc.: To fight with the spur; to strike at. Also transf.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1757), 346. If a sheep should come so near to a lark’s nest as to tread on it, the lark will fly out, and spur at the sheep.
1838. T. Mitchell, Clouds of Aristophanes, 172. Two fighting-cocks … spurring at each other.
1887. P. M’Neill, Blawearie, 179. Examining the … paws of the dog to see if he might be expected to spurr well.
c. Sc. (See quot.)
1825. Jamieson, Suppl., To Spur, v.n., to scrape, as a hen or cock on a dunghill.
III. trans. 8. To support or prop up (a post, etc.) by means of a strut or spur; to strengthen with spurs.
1733. Tull, Horse-Hoeing Husb., xxiii. 361 (Dubl.). These Standards ought to be braced (or spurr’d) before and behind.
1750. W. Ellis, Mod. Husb., VI. i. 126. By spurring up a gate or stile-post before they are quite damaged, he may save a landlord a considerable charge.
1828–. in dial. glossaries (Yks., Chesh., Sussex, Hamps.).
9. To prune in (a side-shoot, etc.) so as to form a spur close to the stem. Chiefly with in or back.
1840. Florist’s Jrnl. (1846), I. 104. Instead of being spurred-in closely,… the shoots of the selected trees should be left somewhat longer.
1846. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric., I. 184. Good lateral shoots may be spurred as before directed.
1849. Beck’s Florist, 54. Spur them back in a way best calculated to form a bushy head.
10. To affect with the disease spur or ergot.
1896. Lina Eckenstein, Woman under Monasticism, 286. Gangrene of the limbs, such as comes through protracted use of bread containing rye spurred or diseased with ergot.
1897. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., II. 796. Wagner reported one-fifth of a bulk of rye to be spurred.
