Chapter Sprawl to Spring of S by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

6. To bend by force, as something stiff or strong; to force or put by bending, as a beam into its sockets, and allowing it to straighten when in place; — often with in, out, etc.; as, to spring in a slat or a bar.

7. To pass over by leaping; as, to spring a fence.

To spring a butt (Naut.), to loosen the end of a plank in a ship's bottom. — To spring a leak (Naut.), to begin to leak. — To spring an arch (Arch.), to build an arch; — a common term among masons; as, to spring an arch over a lintel. — To spring a rattle, to cause a rattle to sound. See Watchman's rattle, under Watchman. — To spring the luff (Naut.), to ease the helm, and sail nearer to the wind than before; — said of a vessel. Mar. Dict. — To spring amast or spar (Naut.), to strain it so that it is unserviceable.

Spring
(Spring), n. [AS. spring a fountain, a leap. See Spring, v. i.]

1. A leap; a bound; a jump.

The prisoner, with a spring, from prison broke.

Dryden.

2. A flying back; the resilience of a body recovering its former state by elasticity; as, the spring of a bow.

3. Elastic power or force.

Heavens! what a spring was in his arm!

Dryden.

4. An elastic body of any kind, as steel, India rubber, tough wood, or compressed air, used for various mechanical purposes, as receiving and imparting power, diminishing concussion, regulating motion, measuring weight or other force.

The principal varieties of springs used in mechanisms are the spiral spring the coil spring (Fig. b), the elliptic spring the half- elliptic spring the volute spring, the India-rubber spring, the atmospheric spring, etc.

5. Any source of supply; especially, the source from which a stream proceeds; as issue of water from the earth; a natural fountain. "All my springs are in thee." Ps. lxxxvii. 7. "A secret spring of spiritual joy." Bentley. "The sacred spring whence and honor streams." Sir J. Davies.

6. Any active power; that by which action, or motion, is produced or propagated; cause; origin; motive.

Our author shuns by vulgar springs to move
The hero's glory, or the virgin's love.

Pope.

7. That which springs, or is originated, from a source; as: (a) A race; lineage. [Obs.] Chapman. (b) A youth; a springal. [Obs.] Spenser. (c) A shoot; a plant; a young tree; also, a grove of trees; woodland. [Obs.] Spenser. Milton.

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.

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.