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| spur [ spur ] |
noun (plural spurs) |
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1. device attached to rider's heel: a small spike or spiked wheel attached to the heel of a rider's boot that is nudged into the horse's sides to encourage it to go faster
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2. inducement: something that encourages a person or organization to take action or to make a greater effort, e.g. the hope of a reward or the fear of punishment
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3. projection: something that projects outward at an angle from a larger object
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4. projecting plant part: a tubular extension from a flower part, as, e.g. in larkspur and columbine
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5. short branch or shoot: a short branch or lateral shoot from a stem or branch of a plant
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6. horny projection: a sharp horny projection on the legs of some male birds such as domestic roosters above the claws
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7. projecting animal part: a pointed extension or projecting part process on some animals, e.g. the stiff outgrowth on the legs of some insects and birds
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8. short bony outgrowth: a bony outgrowth, usually a normal part of the body but sometimes one that develops such as that on the bottom of the heel after an injury
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9. spike on leg of gamecock: a sharp metal spike attached to the leg of a gamecock
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10. part of railroad: a short section of railroad track leading off a main line
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11. mountain ridge: a ridge that projects outward from a mountain range and descends toward a valley floor
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12. road off major road: a short side road leading off a main road
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verb (past and past participle spurred, present participle spur·ring, 3rd person present singular spurs) |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive verb encourage somebody to try harder: to stimulate a person or organization to take action or make greater efforts in the hope of a reward or in the fear of punishment
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2. transitive verb make horse go faster: to encourage a horse to go faster by nudging spurs into its sides
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3. transitive verb put spurs on somebody or something: to equip somebody or something with spurs
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4. intransitive verb ride fast: to ride fast, using spurs
(
literary
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5. intransitive verb go quickly: to go or proceed hastily
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literary
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| [ Old English spura< Indo-European, "to kick"] |
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  spurred adjective |
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on the spur of the moment on impulse and without forethought
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win or gain your spurs
1. to gain recognition and respect for the first time
2. in the past, to be given the rank of knight
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