Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 1 sprota, 4–5, 9 sprote, 5, 9 sprot, 9 spro(o)at. [Common Teut.: OE. sprota, = MDu. sprote, sproot (Du. sport), MLG. sprote, sprate, OHG. sprozzo (MHG. sprozze, G. sprosse), ON. sproti, related to SPROUT v. OE. had also sprot neut., which may be partly represented in the later form with short vowel.]
† 1. A shoot, sprout, twig, rod. Obs.
c. 1050. in Wr.-Wülcker, 378. Clauus, næʓl oððe sprota.
a. 1100. in Napier, O. E. Glosses, 83. Sarmentorum, sprotena.
a. 1300. Havelok, 1142. I ne haue hws, y ne haue cote, Ne I ne haue stikke, y ne haue sprote.
c. 1425. Noah’s Ark, in Non-Cycle Myst. Plays, 22. For I have neither ruff nor ryff, Spyer, sprund, sprout, no sprot [rhyme boat].
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., ii. 290. I wold that it were in thi throte, Fyr, & shefe, and ich a sprote.
b. pl. Small sticks or twigs; bits of branches blown from trees. Also sprote-wood.
1825. in Jamieson, Suppl.
1847. in Halliwell.
1854–. in dial. glossaries (Northampt., Yks., Sc.).
2. A chip, shiver or splinter.
Freq. c. 1400, in phr. in, into, on sprotes.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xxii. 238. The Tronchouns flen in sprotes and peces alle aboute the Halle.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 5783. Speiris into sprottes spronge ouer hede.
c. 1400. Sege Jerus. (E.E.T.S.), 554. Spakly her speres on sprotes þey ȝeden.
1825. Jamieson, Suppl., Sprot, a chip of wood, flying from the tool of a carpenter.
