'That's a sprack mare o' yourn.'—Wilts Tales, p. 68.
(2) Intelligent, quick (A.C.).—N. & S.W.
'He had picked up a few words and phrases with which he sometimes "bothered" his neighbours, who thought Jem "a mortal sprack chap"; but in truth he was a great fool.'—Wilts Tales, p. 65.
Sprank. A sprinkling of anything. 'There be a good sprank o' fruit to-year.' Also used in Somerset.—N.W. (Mildenhall.)
*Sprawing. A sweetheart. This word is given for Wilts by Britton, Akerman, Halliwell, Wright, and others, but should be treated as a 'ghost-word,' and struck out of our glossaries. In Cunnington MS. it is written as Sprawny, q.v., but Britton when transcribing from that source would appear to have misread it as Sprawing, probably not being himself acquainted with the word, while Akerman and others must simply have taken it blindly on his authority.
*Sprawny. A sweetheart (Cunnington MS.). A variant of Sprunny. See note on Sprawing. A male sweetheart in Glouc.—N.W., obsolete.
'Whipped to some purpose will thy sprunny be.'—Collins, Miscellanies, 1762.
Spreader. The thin pole or bar which keeps the traces apart (Wilts Tales, p. 173).—N.W.
*Spreath, Spreeth. Active, nimble, able (A.B.H.Wr.). 'He is a spreeth young fellow' (B.).