Also 4, 6–7 sprigge 6 sprygge), 7 sprigg. [Of obscure origin; relationship to LG. sprick, dry twig, is doubtful.]
1. A shoot, twig or spray of a plant, shrub or tree; † a rod.
14[?]. Langland’s P. Pl., C. VI. 139. Ho so spareþ þe spring [v.r. sprigge] spilleþ hus children.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 228. This … sprygge whiche bryngeth foorth the sayde cluster is a hole yeare in growyng.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 681. The flowers grow amongst the leaues, uppon the young sprigges or sprayes.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, II. 31. Their arrowes are made some of straight young sprigs, which they head with bone.
1676. Grew, Anat. Pl., Anat. Fl. (1682), 152. Where there are several Sprigs upon one Stem, as in Fenil, Hemlock, and the like.
1728–46. Thomson, Spring, 162. Herds and flocks Drop the dry sprig, and, mute imploring, eye The falling verdure.
1827. G. Higgins, Celtic Druids, 34. The Druids pretended to perform various operations by means of sticks, sprigs, or branches of trees.
1856. in Delamer, Fl. Garden, 122. This beautiful Jasmine is … very useful for cutting for bouquets, and the sprigs will last in water a long time.
fig. 1580. T. M., Pref. Verses, 40, in Baret, Alv. There grew the floures, that Tullie first did see, There sprang the sprigs on which he first did feed.
b. A small spray of a particular plant, etc.
1563. T. Gale, Antidot., II. 41. You maie in the place hereof vse a sprigge of the Oke.
1599. Warn. Faire Wom., II. 1072. There came a sprigge of fearne, borne by the wind Into the roome.
1605. Shaks., Lear, II. iii. 16. Sprigs of Rosemarie.
1621. Middleton, Sun in Aries, Wks. (Bullen), VII. 348. Peace [is represented] with a branch of laurel; Patience a sprig of palm [etc.].
a. 1721. Prior, Charity never faileth, v. Then how short-liv’d will be thy Praise Like what thou labour’est for, a sprig of Bayes.
1736. Bailey, Household Dict., s.v. Mint, Two or three sprigs of this mint being drank with the juice of garden mint.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., xxviii. Sprigs or holly with red berries … ornament the window.
1847. H. Miller, Test. Rocks (1857), 308. Agate, in some specimens, contains its apparent sprigs of moss.
transf. 1867. F. Francis, Angling, xi. (1880), 411. A few sprigs of green peacock herl.
c. collect. (See quot.)
1832. Planting, 91, in Husb. (L.U.K.), III. Sprig of wood.—In some instances understood as the branches of a tree.
2. fig. a. An offshoot, a minor development, part, or specimen, of something.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 272. To weede out … the bitter plant of couetousnesse,… that of the same not … one braunch, sprig, leafe nor seede be remaining.
1581. Mulcaster, Positions, xxxv. (1887), 131. Not bowghes and braunches, but euen the twigges and sprigges of the petiest circumstances.
1608. Willet, Hexapla Exod., 308. The sprigges and branches of vices.
1660. trans. Amyraldus’ Treat. conc. Relig., III. iii. 347. So totally rooted out of all the Writings in the World,… as not one slip or sprig to be left of it.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xxxvii. The following sprig of sepulchral poetry.
1878. Browning, Poets Croisic, 139. Never hope to graff a second sprig of triumph there!
b. Applied to persons (usually with disparaging force): A scion of some person, class, institution, etc.
1601. Chester, Loue’s Mart., cx. Yet Fortunes vnseene immortalitie Sometimes cuts downe sprigs of a Monarchie.
1646. Quarles, Judgem. & Mercy, Wks. (Grosart), I. 76/1. A poore Sprig of disobedient Adam.
1721. Amherst, Terræ Filius, No. 36. 288. To hear a smart damsel reprimand a young sprig of learning for his rudeness.
1768. [J. Cleland], Woman of Honor, II. 202. Are even some of the illustrious sprigs of our Nobility clear of that scoundrel-vice?
1810. Sporting Mag., XXXV. 28. Our sprigs of fashion are … fond of driving the mail.
1847. H. Miller, First Impr. Eng., xx. (1857), 353. A zealous sprig of High-Churchism who preached to them.
1883. Congregationalist, Sept., 731. The pretensions of a pert young sprig of divinity.
c. Without const.: A stripling; a young fellow.
1661. J. Davies, Civ. Warres, 365. A young sprig, who had never … ventured to involve himself in bloud and murthers.
1766. [C. Anstey], Bath Guide, xi. 127. Th’ unfortunate Sprig Seems as if he was hunting, all Night for his Wig.
1789. Wolcot (P. Pindar), Ep. falling Minister, Wks. 1812, II. 124. Yet was this Youth proclaim’d a pretty Sprig.
1815. Scott, Guy M., liii. A sprig whom I remember with a whey face and a satchel not so very many years ago.
1879. F. W. Robinson, Coward Consc., II. xvii. When … we were a couple of city sprigs together.
3. † a. A branch of a nerve, vein, etc. Obs.
1638. A. Read, Chirurg., xi. 80. If any severall part bee paralytik … the cause is … in the sprig of some nerve inserted in that part.
1684. Boyle, Porousn. Anim. & Solid Bod., vii. 61. A vein and artery to bring in and carry back Blood … by distinct sprigs sent from the great branch.
1730. Chamberlayne, Relig. Philos., I. ix. § 8. This Nerve … after having sent some Sprigs to the Plexus Nervosus … ends there.
b. A piece of some substance or material resembling a sprig of a plant.
1660. Boyle, New Exp. Phys. Mech., xlii. 384. Half-a-score Sprigs of Coral.
1680. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., XIII. 222. Some Turners to shew their Dexterity … Turn long and slender Sprigs of Ivory, as small as an Hay-stalk, and perhaps a Foot or more long.
1758. Borlase, Nat. Hist. Cornw., 84. The coralline moss,… sprig, and bunchy coral dispersed on the rocks.
1787. Wolcot (P. Pindar), Apol. Ode upon Ode, Wks. 1812, I. 456. Commanded of dead Hair the sprigs To do their duty upon Wigs.
1839. De la Beche, Rep. Geol. Cornwall, etc. ii. 31. A conglomerate with a calcareo-magnesian cement, containing sprigs of copper.
4. An ornament in the form of a sprig or spray; in later use esp. one made of diamonds.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. v. 605. Upon her crown a crest Of starrie Sprigs.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., V. Wks. 1856, I. 58. I ha bought mee a newe greene feather with a red sprig.
1629. Shirley, Wedding, II. i. When thou art at the Peacock, remember to call for the sprig.
1639. in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. IX. 7. One Great Salt with 4 Boxes, 4 Spriggs, and 1 cover.
1718. Free-thinker, No. 57. 13. The rich Sprig of Diamonds that sparkles in your Hair.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), I. 259. The queen had a sprig of diamonds which she usually wore on her bosom.
1806. Surr, Winter in Lond., II. 157. He, having … the said family plate,… lent me … a sprig for my hair.
b. A design, imitative of a sprig, embroidered, woven or stamped on a textile fabric, or applied to ceramic ware, etc.
1771. Mrs. Harris, in Priv. Lett. Ld. Malmesbury (1870), I. 214. The habit muslin with green and gold sprigs.
1844. G. Dodd, Textile Manuf., vii. 229. In ‘sprigged net’ the groundwork and a portion of every sprig are made at the machine, and the outline of every sprig is then worked by hand.
1858. Lytton, What will He do? I. xiv. What pretty sprigs! Where can such things be got?
1874. H. H. Cole, Catal. Ind. Art S. Kens. Mus., 250. White ground covered by oval outlined red and green sprigs.
c. A small detached piece of pillow-lace, made separately for subsequent use in composite work.
1851. Catal. Gt. Exhib., 569. Brussels and Honiton sprigs, manufactured from cotton thread.
1882. Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, 459/1.
5. ellipt. a. A silver-sprig rabbit. (See SILVER sb. 21 b.)
1859. J. C. Atkinson, Walks & Talks, 30. The boys understood him to call rabbits of this variety … by the name of ‘sprigs’ or ‘silver-sprigs.’
b. U.S. The sprigtail duck, Dafila acuta.
1888. G. Trumbull, Names Birds, 38.
1895. Outing, XXVI. 30/2. Making a blind good enough for any duck except sprig, which are as wary as wild geese.
6. attrib. and Comb. (chiefly in sense 4 b), as sprig-birch, -crystal, -formed, -pattern, -silk, etc.
a. 1728. Woodward, Fossils, I. 32. This kind the Lapidaries call Peble-Crystal. The Crystallin hexagonal Columns they call Sprig-Crystal.
1748. J. Hill, Hist. Fossils, 172. The common, hexangular, whitish, pellucid Ellipomacrostylum, or sprig Crystal.
1772. Phil. Trans., LXII. 399. They feed on grass-seeds, and buds of the sprig-birch.
1775. S. J. Pratt, Liberal Opin., C. (1783), III. 219. She then mentioned something about sprig silks.
1806. J. Grahame, Birds of Scot., 51. Her sprig-formed nest upon some hawthorn branch Is laid so thinly.
1841. Thackeray, Gt. Hoggarty Diamond, iii. I recollect I had on … a white sprig waistcoat.
1874. H. H. Cole, Catal. Ind. Art S. Kens. Mus., 207. The silver pattern, applied in bands of leaves and in a small sprig diaper. Ibid., 262. The central portion of the scarf has a sprig pattern.
