spur, spore, sporre, spure, spurre

[A.S. spur a, spora aspur; cogn. with Dut. spoor =a spur, a track; Icel. spori; Dan.spore; Swedish sporre; O. H. Ger. sporo; M. H. German spor; Ger.sporn, all =aspur; Eng.spoor; Icel. spor; Ger. spur =a track, a spoor (q.v.).] I. Ordinary Lan guage: 1. Literally : (1) An instrument attached to the heel, and having a rowel or wheel of points to prick a horse's side. The rim is the part inclosing the heel of the boot; the neck, the part between the rowel and rim. [RowEL.] Spurs were the IMG:content-0121.jpg:[subsumed][ocr errors][merged small] a . Frankish (10th cent.); b . Norman; c. Henry IV.; d . Henry VI.; e. Edward IV.; f. Edward IV.; g. Henry VII.; h. Henry VIII.; i . Elizabeth; j . A Jingling Spur (Elizabeth); k . Cromwell; 1. A Gambado Spur (James II.); m. Gambado Spur (William III.); n. George I. special badge of knighthood; hence, to win one's spurs = to become a knight, and, generally, to achieve the utmost one can in any line or profe ion; to attain the highest eminence. "Wild as the wild deer, and untaught, With spur and bridle undefiled." Byron: Mazeppa, ix. (2) The largest and principal root of a tree. "By the spurs plucked up the pine and cedar." Shakesp.: Tempest, v. (3) Something which projects; a snag. (4) The hard-pointed projection on a cock's leg, which serves for defense and attack. "The cock, for instance, hath his spurs , and he strikes his feet inward with singular strength and order."- Hale : Orig. of Mankind , p. 56. (5) A mountain or mountain ma , shooting out from a range of mountains, or from another mountain, and extending for some distance in a lateral or 2. Covered with foam. Gay: The Death of Ne us. "The Tiber now their spumy keels divide." Brooke : Constant i a . spun, pret. & pa. par. of v. & α. [SPIN, υ.] A. & B. As pret . & pa . par .: (See the verb.) C. As adj .: Worked by spinning.