Chiefly Sc. and north. [Cf. SPANG v.2 In 1 b perh. purely imitative.]
1. A jerk; a sudden and violent movement of a thing. Also in phr. to play spang.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, V. ix. 59. Acestes … Schawand his craft and his big bowis mycht, That lowsit of the takil with a spang. Ibid., VII. ix. 50. The flayne flaw fast wyth ane spang fra the string.
a. 1657. Sir W. Mure, Hist. Ho. Rowallane, Wks. (S.T.S.), II. 253. The king…, as he offered swa to doe dang out his eye wt the spang of ane Cocle-shell.
1826. J. Wilson, Noct. Ambr., Wks. 1855, I. 134. I wadna grudge geein a jug o’ toddy to see ane play spang upon you frae a distance o’ twenty yards.
b. A sound resulting from such movement.
1883. G. C. Davies, Norfolk Broads, xxiii. 160. We heard a loud spang behind us, and on turning round saw a large mullet floundering in the jolly.
† 2. A fillip; a smart rap. Obs. rare.
1595. Duncan, App. Etym. (E. D. S.), Talitrum, a spang, a chicknawd.
1710. Ruddiman, Gloss. Douglas’ Æneis, s.v.
3. a. A spring, a bound, a leap.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xxviii. Set roasted beef and pudding on the opposite side o’ the pit o’ Tophet, and an Englishman will mak a spang at it.
1847. J. Wilson, Chr. North (1857), I. 17–8. See, see how Tickler clears that twenty-feet moss-hag at a single spang like a bird.
1894. Crockett, Raiders, iv. 39. Jerry … came up the hill in great spangs.
b. A strong kick.
1863. Reade, Hard Cash, xli. He went swinging by the rope back to the main stem of the tree, gave it a fierce spang with his feet, and … got an inch nearer the window.
1867. P. Kennedy, Banks Boro, xl. 307. You’re like our miel cow that gives a pail full of milk, and then spills all with a spang of her foot.
4. The spring-pole of a center lathe. ? Obs.
1797. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), XVIII. 608/1. The two ends of the cord, both that which is fixed to the spang and to the foot-board.
