Middle English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Old Norse *sprenta (for later spretta), from Proto-Germanic *sprantijaną, thus a doublet of sprytten. Reinforced by sprent, variant of sprend, past participle of sprengen.

Pronunciation edit

Verb edit

sprenten (third-person singular simple present sprente, present participle sprentynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative sprente, past participle sprent) (Northern)

  1. To spring (jump with great speed or energy).
  2. To shoot or spurt out; to emerge suddenly and quickly.

Conjugation edit

Descendants edit

  • English: sprint (see there for further descendants; dialectal sprent, sprunt)
  • Scots: sprent, sprint, spraint, sprind

References edit