spry

See also: Spry

English

Etymology

From British dialectal sprey, from Old Norse sprækr (“nimble, lively”) from Proto-Germanic *sprēkiz (“lively”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)preg- (“to strew, jerk, sprinkle, scatter”). Cognate with Icelandic sprækur (“lively, spry”), Norwegian sprek (“lively, healthy”), dialectal Swedish sprygg (“brisk, very active, skittish”). More at spark. Related to sprack, sprig, sprug, freckle.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /spɹaɪ/

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪ

Adjective

spry (comparative sprier, superlative spriest)

1. Having great power of leaping or running; nimble; active.
   • 2012 April 26, Tasha Robinson, “Film: Reviews: The Pirates! Band Of Misfits :”, in The Onion AV Club‎^[1]:

     What follows is a bunch of nonstop goofery involving chase sequences, dream sequences, fast-changing costumes and an improbable beard, a little musical help from Flight Of The Conchords, and ultimately a very physical confrontation with a surprisingly spry Victoria.

2. Vigorous; lively; cheerful.
   • 1992, Robert Rankin, The Antipope (page 68)

     The Captain folded his brow into a look of intense perplexity. 'You seem exceedingly spry for a man who demolished an entire bottle of brandy and better part of an ounce of shag in a single evening.'
     'And very nice too,' said the tramp. 'Now as to breakfast?'

Translations

nimble, active

• Bulgarian: енергичен (bg) (energičen), чевръст (bg) (čevrǎst)
• Dutch: kwiek (nl)
• French: actif (fr), vif (fr), alerte (fr), vigilant (fr)
• German: agil (de), beweglich (de)
• Hungarian: fürge (hu)
• Portuguese: ágil (pt), ativo (pt), serelepe (pt)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: бо́йкий (ru) (bójkij), подви́жный (ru) (podvížnyj)
• Scottish Gaelic: giobach

Anagrams

• Prys, syrp