spur

See also Spur

English

Wikipedia

Western-style cowboy spurs

Etymology

Old English spora.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /spɜː(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)

Noun

spur (plural spurs)

1. A rigid implement, often roughly y-shaped, that is fixed to one's heel for purpose of prodding a horse. Often worn by, and emblematic of, the cowboy or the knight.
   • 1598, William Shakespeare, Henry V, Act IV, Scene VI, line 4:

     Lives he, good uncle? thrice within this hour I saw him down; thrice up again, and fighting; From helmet to the spur all blood he was.

   • 1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 22:

     Two sorts of spurs seem to have been in use about the time of the Conquest, one called a pryck, having only a single point like the gaffle of a fighting cock; the other consisting of a number of points of considerable length, radiating from and revolving on a center, thence named the rouelle or wheel spur.

2. Anything that inspires or motivates, as a spur does to a horse.
   • 1601, William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, Act II, Scene II, line 198.

     But, worthy Hector, She is a theme of honour and renown, A spur to valiant and magnanimous deeds...

3. An appendage or spike pointing rearward, near the foot, for instance that of a rooster.
4. Any protruding part connected at one end, for instance a highway that extends from another highway into a city.
5. Roots, tree roots.
   • 1609, William Shakespeare, Cymbeline, Act IV, Scene II, line 57:

     I do note / That grief and patience, rooted in them both, / Mingle their spurs together.

   • 1610, The Tempest, by Shakespeare, act 5 scene 1

     [...] the strong-bas'd promontory

     Have I made shake; and by the spurs pluck'd up

     The pine and cedar [...]

Derived terms

• spur-of-the-moment

Related terms

• (rigid implement) rowel, pryck, prick

Translations

A rigid implement, often roughly y-shaped, that is fixed to one's heel for purpose of prodding a horse

• Armenian: խթան (hy) (xtʿan)
• Catalan: esperó (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 馬刺 (cmn), 马刺 (cmn) (mǎcì)

• Czech: ostruha (cs) f
• Danish: spore (da) c
• Dutch: spoor (nl) c
• Esperanto: sprono (eo)
• Finnish: kannus (fi)
• French: éperon (fr) m
• German: Sporn (de) m
• Hungarian: sarkantyú (hu)
• Italian: sperone (it)

• Japanese: 拍車 (ja) (はくしゃ, hakusha)
• Malay: pacu (ms)
• Maori: kipa (mi)
• Polish: ostroga f
• Portuguese: espora (pt) f
• Russian: шпора (ru) (špóra) f
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: мамуза (sh) f, оструга (sh) f

  Roman: mamuza (sh) f, ostruga (sh) f

• Spanish: espuela (es) f
• Swedish: sporre (sv) c
• Turkish: mahmuz (tr)

Anything that inspires or motivates, as a spur does to a horse

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 鞭策 (cmn) (biāncè), 激勵 (cmn), 激励 (cmn) (jīlì), 刺激 (cmn) (cìjī), 鼓舞 (cmn) (gǔwǔ)

• Danish: spore (da) c
• Esperanto: sprono (eo)
• Finnish: kannustin (fi)

• German: Ansporn (de)
• Italian: sprono (it) m
• Japanese: 刺激 (ja) (しげき, shigeki)
• Russian: стимул (ru) (stímul) m
• Spanish: espuela (es) f, acicate (es) m; incentivo (es) m

An appendage or spike pointing rearward, near the foot, for instance that of a rooster

• Czech: ostruha (cs) f
• Danish: spore (da) c
• Esperanto: sprono (eo)
• French: ergot (fr) m

• Italian: sperone (it) m
• Malay: taji (ms)
• Russian: шпора (ru) (špóra) f
• Spanish: espolón (es) m

Any protruding part connected at one end

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 支線 (cmn), 支线 (cmn) (zhīxiàn)

• Italian: diramazione (it) f, divaricazione (it) f, sporgenza (it) f, protuberanza (it) f
• Spanish: conexión (es) f, extensión (es) f, prolongación (es) f

Roots

• Finnish: kannus (fi)
• Italian: propaggini (it) f pl

• Russian: корень (ru) (kóren’) m
• Spanish: alcurnia (es) f

Verb

spur (third-person singular simple present spurs, present participle spurring, simple past and past participle spurred)

1. To prod (especially a horse) in the side or flank, with the intent to urge motion or haste, to gig.
   • 1592, William Shakespeare, Richard III, Act V, Scene III, line 339:

     Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head! Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood; Amaze the welkin with your broken staves!

2. To urge or encourage to action, or to a more vigorous pursuit of an object; to incite; to stimulate; to instigate; to impel; to drive.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act III, Scene IV, line 4.

     My desire (More sharp than filed steel) did spur me forth...

3. To put spurs on; as, a spurred boot.

Derived terms

• spur on

Translations

to prod

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 策(馬)前進, 策(马)前进 (cè (mǎ) qiánjìn)

• Esperanto: sproni (eo)
• Finnish: kannustaa (fi)
• French: éperonner (fr)
• German: die Sporen geben
• Indonesian: memacu (id)

• Italian: pungolare (it), spronare (it)
• Japanese: 突く (ja) (つく, tsuku), 拍車をかける (ja) (はくしゃをかける, hakusha o kakeru)
• Russian: пришпоривать (ru) (prišpórivatʹ) impf., пришпорить (ru) (prišpóritʹ) pf.
• Spanish: espolear (es), espolonear (es), acicatear (es)
• Swedish: sporra (sv)

to urge or encourage to action, or to a more vigorous pursuit of an object; to incite; to stimulate; to instigate; to impel; to drive

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 鞭策 (cmn) (biāncè), 激勵 (cmn), 激励 (cmn) (jīlì), 刺激 (cmn) (cìjī), 鼓舞 (cmn) (gǔwǔ), 促進 (cmn), 促进 (cmn) (cùjìn), 刺激(某事)發生, 刺激(某事)发生 (cìjī (mǒu shì) fāshēng), 帶動 (cmn), 带动 (cmn) (dàidòng)

• Dutch: aansporen (nl), aanmoedigen (nl), bewegen (nl)
• Finnish: kannustaa (fi), yllyttää (fi)
• German: anspornen (de)

• Italian: stimolare (it), incoraggiare (it), instigare (it), incitare (it)
• Japanese: 行動させる (ja) (こうどうさせる, kōdō saseru)
• Portuguese: instigar (pt), provocar (pt), estimular (pt)
• Romanian: îndemna (ro)
• Russian: подгонять (ru) (podgonjátʹ), побуждать (ru) (pobuždátʹ) (к чему́-либо)
• Spanish: espolear (es), incentivar (es), estimular (es), incitar (es), motivar (es), animar (es)
• Swedish: sporra (sv)

to put spurs on

• German: mit Sporen versehen
• Italian: montare gli speroni (it)

• Spanish: poner (las) espuelas