Etymology From Middle English spure, spore, from Old English spora, spura, from Proto-West Germanic *spurō, from Proto-Germanic *spurô, from Proto-Indo-European *sperH- (“to kick”).
1
To prod (especially a horse) on the side or flank, with the intent to urge motion or haste, to gig.
Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head! Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood; Amaze the welkin with your broken staves!c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii], line 339:
2
To urge or encourage to action, or to a more vigorous pursuit of an object
My desire / (More sharp than filed steel) did spur me forth...c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv], line 4:
But the latest Santa Fe development, while not spurring the Rock Island to any further acceleration, has drawn fire from a totally unexpected quarter.1940 May, “Overseas Railways: Acceleration Proceeds in U.S.A.”, in Railway Magazine, page 298:
1 more example
What is unbearable, in fact, is the feeling, 13 years after 9/11, that America has been chasing its tail; that, in some whack-a-mole horror show, the quashing of a jihadi enclave here only spurs the sprouting of another there; that the ideology of Al Qaeda is still reverberating through a blocked Arab world whose Sunni-Shia balance (insofar as that went) was upended by the American invasion of Iraq.2014 November 17, Roger Cohen, “The horror! The horror! The trauma of ISIS [print version: International New York Times, 18 November 2014, p. 9]”, in The New York Times:
3
To put spurs on.
to spur boots
4
To press forward; to travel in great haste.
5
To form a spur (senses 17-18 of the noun)
It spurs off the Robin Hood line, providing ten miles of single-line test track with a three-mile double section, capable of testing up to 75mph.2021 June 16, Andrew Mourant, “Plans for new test centre remain on track: Testing for rolling stock and infrastructure”, in RAIL, number 933, page 42:
Etymology English surname, variant of Spurr. Compare the noun spur.
1
Ball games, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Soccer, Sports someone connected with Tottenham Hotspur FC, as a fan, player, coach etc.
spur
noun
Etymology From Middle English spure, spore, from Old English spora, spura, from Proto-West Germanic *spurō, from Proto-Germanic *spurô, from Proto-Indo-European *sperH- (“to kick”).
A rigid implement, often roughly y-shaped, that is fixed to one's heel for the purpose of prodding a horse. Often worn by, and emblematic of, the cowboy or the knight.
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.1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vi], line 4:
Tvvo 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 a conſiderable length, radiating from and revolving on a center, thence named the rouelle or vvheel ſpur.1786, Francis Grose, “Tilting Armour”, in A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, […], London: […] S. Hooper, […], →OCLC, page 28:
2
A jab given with the spurs.
I had hardly said the word, when Kit jumped into the saddle, and gave his horse a whip and a spur — and off it cantered, as if it were in as great a hurry to be married as Kit himself.1832, The Atheneum, volume 31, page 493:
3
Figuratively Anything that inspires or motivates, as a spur does a horse.
She is a theame of honour and renowne, / A ſpurre to valiant and magnanimous deeds, / Whoſe preſent courage may beate downe our foes, / And fame in time to come canonize us, [...]c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Famous Historie of Troylus and Cresseid. […] (First Quarto), London: […] G[eorge] Eld for R[ichard] Bonian and H[enry] Walley, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
4
An appendage or spike pointing rearward, near the foot, for instance that of a rooster.
5
Any protruding part connected at one end, for instance a highway that extends from another highway into a city.
6
Roots, tree roots.
[…] the strong-bas'd promontory / Have I made shake; and by the spurs pluck'd up / The pine and cedar […]1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
I do note / That grief and patience, rooted in them both, / Mingle their spurs together.1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], line 57:
7
Geography, Geology, Natural sciences A mountain that shoots from another mountain or range and extends some distance in a lateral direction, or at right angles.
But a narrow spur of rocks arched out and over the hole, ending in an outcrop perhaps a hundred feet across.1986, Terry Pratchett, The Light Fantastic, published 2022, page 121:
8
A spiked iron worn by seamen upon the bottom of the boot, to enable them to stand upon the carcass of a whale to strip off the blubber.
Architecture A projection from the round base of a column, occupying the angle of a square plinth upon which the base rests, or bringing the bottom bed of the base to a nearly square form. It is generally carved in leafage.
12
Ergotized rye or other grain.
13
A wall in a fortification that crosses a part of a rampart and joins to an inner wall.
14
Business, Manufacturing, Shipbuilding A piece of timber fixed on the bilgeways before launching, having the upper ends bolted to the vessel's side.
15
Business, Manufacturing, Shipbuilding A curved piece of timber serving as a half to support the deck where a whole beam cannot be placed.
Transport A short branch road of a motorway, freeway or major road.
19
Biology, Botany, Natural sciences A short thin side shoot from a branch, especially one that bears fruit or, in conifers, the shoots that bear the leaves.