Also dial. 8 sprey, 9 sprae, Sc. spree. [Of obscure origin. Current in English dialects, but more familiar as an Americanism.]
1. Active, nimble, smart, brisk; full of health and spirits.
Eng. and Sc. dial. instances are given under (a) and (c).
(a) 1746. Exmoor Courtship (E.D.S.), 579. A comely sprey vitty Vella vor enny keendest Theng. Ibid., 581. Thare’s net a spreyer Vella in Challacomb.
1825. Jennings, Observ. Dial. W. Eng., 72. Spry, nimble, active.
1844. W. Barnes, Poems, 48. Jump’d to zee who wer the spryest.
1866. Gilbert Rugge, I. ii. 31. She’s one o’ them sort who’s down one day and up and spry the next.
1870. Verney, Lettice Lisle, xx. He’s so lusty and so spry he may give ’em all the slip.
(b) 1789. Maryland Jrnl., 10 March (Thornton). [The snakes] were not so spry as in summer season, so none escaped being killed.
1815. Massachusetts Spy, 28 June (Thornton). Pray be spry, sir, said I, for there’s no knowing what my wife may do.
1833. [Seba Smith], Lett. J. Downing, ii. (1835), 30. ‘And now,’ says I, ‘all on you be spry, and don’t stop stirrin till the pudden’s done.’
1869. Spurgeon, John Ploughman’s Talk, 14. If some of the members … were a little more spry with their arms and legs when they are at labour.
1888. R. Buchanan, Heir of Linne, xiii. I’ll have to be pretty spry, or they’ll begin to discuss me.
c. 1837. R. Nicoll, Poems (1843), 164. I once was loved,—I loved again The spreest lad in a’ our glen.
1892. J. Lumsden, Sheep-head & Trotters, 76.
| The wagtail, sae spree; | |
| In the golden evenings here shall linger. |
b. Alert, clever.
1849. Cupples, Green Hand, xi. (1856), 106. And says Job Price,… ‘You’re too cust spry for playin’ jokes on, I calc’late, squire,’ he says.
2. dial. Spruce, neat, smartly dressed.
1806. A. Douglas, Poems, 144. Syne hame they gang … To busk themsels fu’ trig and spree; For raggit they’re an’ dirty.
1854–. in dialect glossaries.
3. As adv. Nimbly, actively.
1855. Haliburton, Nat. & Hum. Nat., I. 227. They call us shakers, from shaking our feet so spry.
Hence Spryly adv.; Spryness.
1865. Reader, No. 145. 393/2. A spryness of legs quite remarkable.
1905. Mary E. Wilkins, Debtor, 417. Then she hopped off as spryly as a sparrow.
