Also 3, 6 sprenge, 5 sprynge, 7–8 sprindge. [app. repr. OE. *spręncg, related to SPRENGE v. and SPRING v.1 Cf. the later SPRING sb.3]
1. A snare for catching small game, esp. birds.
α. c. 1250. Owl & Night., 1066. Þi song mai beo so longe genge, Þat þu schalt hwippen on a sprenge.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIV. xliii. Þere beþ manye foulers þat leggeþ and setteþ nettes, springes and grenes.
1594. Barnfield, Affect. Sheph., II. ix. (Arb.), 13. Wilt thou set springes in a frostie Night To catch the long-billd Woodcocke and the Snype?
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. ii. II. Babylon, 93. He in former quests did use Cals, pit-fals, toyls, sprenges, and baits and glews.
1653. W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored, 187. It addeth vigour to the Springes, Nets, Dogs, &c.
1727. Swift, Gulliver, IV. ii. I sometimes made a shift to catch a rabbit, or bird, by springes made of Yahoos’ hair.
1780. W. Coxe, Russ. Disc., 77. The skins of guillinot [sic] and puffin, which they catch with springes.
1815. Sporting Mag., XLV. 189. Springes are, I believe, always set in standing wood.
1841. Marryat, Poacher, ii. Joey could set a springe.
1908. Sir H. Johnston, G. Grenfell & the Congo, II. xxvii. 762. They may also make use of springes of raphia-rind.
β. 1615. Chapman, Odyss., XXII. 570. A Mauis, or a Pygeon,… caught with a Sprindge, or Net.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Past., V. 94. Nor Birds the Sprindges fear, nor Stags the Toils.
1712–4. Pope, Rape Lock, II. 25. With hairy Sprindges we the Birds betray.
2. fig. a. In allusions to the catching of woodcocks.
α. 1602. Shaks., Ham., I. iii. 115. I, Springes to catch Woodcocks.
1613. H. Parrot (title), Laquei Ridiculosi, or Springes for Woodcocks.
1668. Dryden, Even. Love, II. i. So, there’s one woodcock more in the springe.
1822. Shelley, Chas. I., II. 39. An idiot in lawn sleeves and a rochet setting springes to catch woodcocks.
1877. Tennyson, Harold, II. ii. We hold our Saxon woodcock in the springe, But he begins to flutter.
β. 1611. Middleton & Dekker, Roaring Girl, D.’s Wks. 1873, III. 188. Heere’s the sprindge I ha set to catch this woodcocke in.
1663. Dryden, Wild Gallant, III. Isa. Alas, poor Woodcock, dost thou go a Birding! Thou hast e’en set a Sprindge to catch thy own Neck.
b. In other contexts.
1612. Webster, White Devil, V. vi. 132. O I am caught with a springe.
1698. Farquhar, Love & Bottle, I. And have your ladies no springes to catch ’em in?
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), III. lvi. 309. I had not drawn my sprindges close about her.
a. 1797. H. Walpole, Mem. Reign Geo. III. (1845), I. xix. 276. The lawyers on either side were employed in discovering springes or loop-holes.
1856. Mrs. Browning, Aur. Leigh, II. 1096. Shall I pardon you If thus you have caught me with a cruel springe?
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 222. He wanted to catch me in his springes of words.
