springe
nounEtymology Inherited from Middle English spreng, a variant of spring with the form of sprengen.
1
Obsolete A snare.
- Ay, springes to catch woodcocksc. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], line 114:
- Look how a mavis, or a pigeòn, / In any grove caught with a springe or net […]1614: The Odysses of Homer by George Chapman, book 23 line 594
2 more examples
- With hairy Sprindges we the Birds betray1714: The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope, 2nd edn., canto 2 line 25
- ’twas my joy / With store of springes o’er my shoulder hung / To range the open heights where woodcocks run / Along the smooth green turf.c. 1799, William Wordsworth, The Prelude, London: Moxon, published 1850, Book 1, Introduction, p. 16: