Forms: α. 4 spenné, 6 spinnie, 7 spennie, 8– spinny. β. 7 spynney, 7– spinney, 9 spenney. [ad. OF. espinei, espinoi, -oy masc., espinoie, espinaye (mod.F. épinaie) fem., a place full of thorns or brambles, f. espine SPINE sb.1 Cf. SPINET2.]
† 1. ? A thorn-hedge. Obs. rare.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1709. At þe last bi a littel dich he lepez ouer a spenné, Stelez out ful stilly bi a strothe rande. Ibid., 1896. As he sprent ouer a spenné, to spye þe schrewe.
2. A small wood or copse, esp. one planted or preserved for sheltering game-birds; a small clump or plantation of trees.
α. 1597. Gerarde, Herbal, ci. 353. I found this strange kinde of Gentian in a small groue of wood called the Spinnie.
c. 1600. in J. H. Glover, Kingsthorpiana (1883), 114. For Hantorne’s Spennie, xii d.
1750. W. Ellis, Mod. Husb., IV. iv. 18. When a Field is under such a fertile growth of this Grain, it appears somewhat like a Spinny, or Spring of Underwood.
1826. Sporting Mag., XVII. 331. The carriage not being able to get up to the spinny.
1857. Kingsley, Two Y. Ago, I. p. x. The downs … crowned with black fir spinnies, and dotted with dark box and juniper.
1876. Fraser’s Mag., 470. Woods and spinnies of old trees are scattered about the rich corn-lands.
β. 1625. Althorp MS., in Simpkinson, Washingtons (1860), p. lx. To Butlin 5 daies paling about the new spinney. Ibid. One daie setting up stiles in the spynney.
1785. Cowper, Wks. (1837), XV. 177. I told you … that the spinney has been cut down.
1814. Ann. Reg., Chron., 84/2. A small wood called Holyoak Spenney.
1840. Hood, Kilmansegg, Accident, iv. Had her horse but been fed upon English grass And sheltered in Yorkshire spinneys.
1883. Pennell-Elmhirst, Cream Leicestersh., 43. The fox … had turned into the little spinneys bordering the hill.
attrib. 1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., II. 133. Ragged-robins by the spinney lake.
transf. 1905. Sir F. Treves, Other Side of Lantern, I. i. A spinney of cranes and derricks.
