8. That which causes one to spring; specifically, a lively tune. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.
9. The season of the year when plants begin to vegetate and grow; the vernal season, usually comprehending the months of March, April, and May, in the middle latitudes north of the equator. "The green lap of the new-come spring." Shak.
Note: Spring of the astronomical year begins with the vernal equinox, about March 21st, and ends with the summer solstice, about June 21st.
10. The time of growth and progress; early portion; first stage. "The spring of the day." 1 Sam. ix. 26. O how this spring of love resembleth The uncertain glory of an April day. Shak.
11. (Naut.) (a) A crack or fissure in a mast or yard, running obliquely or transversely. (b) A line led from a vessel's quarter to her cable so that by tightening or slacking it she can be made to lie in any desired position; a line led diagonally from the bow or stern of a vessel to some point upon the wharf to which she is moored. Air spring, Boiling spring, etc. See under Air, Boiling, etc. — Spring back (Bookbinding), a back with a curved piece of thin sheet iron or of stiff pasteboard fastened to the inside, the effect of which is to make the leaves of a book thus bound (as a ledger or other account or blank book) spring up and lie flat. — Spring balance, a contrivance for measuring weight or force by the elasticity of a spiral spring of steel. — Spring beam, a beam that supports the side of a paddle box. See Paddle beam, under Paddle, n. — Spring beauty. (a) (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Claytonia, delicate herbs with somewhat fleshy leaves and pretty blossoms, appearing in springtime. (b) (Zoöl.) A small, elegant American butterfly (Erora læta) which appears in spring. The hind wings of the male are brown, bordered with deep blue; those of the female are mostly blue. — Spring bed, a mattress, under bed, or bed bottom, in which springs, as of metal, are employed to give the required elasticity. — Spring beetle (Zoöl.), a snapping beetle; an elater. — Spring box, the box or barrel in a watch, or other piece of mechanism, in which the spring is contained. — Spring fly (Zoöl.), a caddice fly; — so called because it appears in the spring. — Spring grass (Bot.), a vernal grass. See under Vernal. — Spring gun, a firearm disharged by a spring, when this is trodden upon or is otherwise moved. — Spring hook (Locomotive Engines), one of the hooks which fix the driving-wheel spring to the frame. — Spring latch, a latch that fastens with a spring.
— Spring lock, a lock that fastens with a spring. — Spring mattress, a spring bed. — Spring of an arch (Arch.) See Springing line of an arch, under Springing. — Spring of pork, the lower part of a fore quarter, which is divided from the neck, and has the leg and foot without the shoulder. [Obs.] Nares. Sir, pray hand the spring of pork to me. Gayton. — Spring pin (Locomotive Engines), an iron rod fitted between the springs and the axle boxes, to sustain and regulate the pressure on the axles. — Spring rye, a kind of rye sown in the spring; — in distinction from winter rye, sown in autumn. — Spring stay (Naut.), a preventer stay, to assist the regular one. R. H. Dana, Jr. — Spring tide, the tide which happens at, or soon after, the new and the full moon, and which rises higher than common tides. See Tide. — Spring wagon, a wagon in which springs are interposed between the body and the axles to form elastic supports. — Spring wheat, any kind of wheat sown in the spring; — in distinction from winter wheat, which is sown in autumn.
SPRINGAL; SPRINGALD; SPRINGALL Spring"al, Spring"ald, Spring"all, a. Etym: [Scot. springald, springel, fr. Scot. & E. spring.]
Defn: An active, springly young man. [Obs.] "There came two springals of full tender years." Spenser. Joseph, when he was sold to Potiphar, that great man, was a fair young springall. Latimer.
SPRINGAL Spring"al, n. Etym: [OF. espringale; of Teutonic origin, akin to E. spring.]
Defn: An ancient military engine for casting stones and arrows by means of a spring.