Also spring water. [SPRING sb.1 2. Cf. MDu. sprincwater, LG. springwater, G. springwasser.] Water issuing or obtained from a spring or fountain.
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well, 238. Deluyth doun depe in lownesse, tyl ȝe fynde a springe watyr of grace.
1587. Harrison, Descr. Eng., II. vi. Bruers obserue … the nature of the water:… the fennie and morish is the worst, and the cleerest spring water next vnto it.
1634–5. Brereton, Trav. (Chetham Soc.), 82. Fair spring-water … is an excellent medicine.
1682. K. Digby, Chymical Secr., II. 201. Pour upon them Spring-water.
1758. Borlase, Nat. Hist. Cornw., 25. Simple Spring-Water may be considered either as superficial or subterraneous.
1771. Phil. Trans., LXI. 510. The weight of spring-water contained in the cube of half that foot … is thus determined.
1849. Noad, Electricity (ed. 3), 370. Place on the top of the other binding screw a drop of spring-water.
1886. A. Winchell, Walks Geol. Field, 34. The supplies of spring-water are sometimes sufficient to meet the demands of towns and cities.
attrib. 1833. Loudon, Encycl. Archit., § 150. At a short distance from the house, is shown the situation of the spring-water well.
