[f. SPUR v.1]
1. The action of pricking with a spur or spurs. Also transf.
a. 1591. H. Smith, Wks. (1867), II. 211. This gall will not hold spurring.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. iii. 58. Here come the Lords of Rosse and Willoughby, Bloody with spurring, fierie red with haste.
1607. Markham, Caval., II. (1617), 74. These flancke spurrings,… are the most preposterous motions that can be seen in a horseman.
1708. Sewel, II. Prikkeling, a Pricking, a spurring on.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. V. iii. The tired nag … sticks in the middle of it;… and will proceed no further for spurring!
1893. F. C. Selous, Trav. S. E. Africa, 172. I gave my sulky horse a good spurring.
attrib. 1677. Lond. Gaz., No. 1170/4. A black Mare 15 hands high,… and on the off-side no hair in the spurring place.
b. The action of stimulating, inciting or urging.
1611. Cotgr., Stimulation, a pricking, or spurring forward; a prouoking, egging, instigating, vrging.
1617. Hieron, Wks., II. 276. When a man is so clay-like,… and must haue a continuall spurring and prouoking … it is a wofull thing.
2. Spurring-in, a mode of pruning fruit-trees in which side-shoots are shortened to a spur likely to produce fruit. Also attrib.
1829. Lindley, Encycl. Plants, 793. Hence the spurring-in method of pruning is the most successful in the production of fruit.
1846. J. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4), II. 381. A mode of pruning by spurring-in,… as recommended by Mr. Griffin.
1852. G. W. Johnson, Cottage Gard. Dict., 60. A regular series of these [side branches] should be left up the stem,… practising what is termed ‘spurring-in’ by our nurserymen.
b. Similarly without in.
1844. Florist’s Jrnl. (1846), V. 92. These evils are entirely obviated by short spurring, in doing which it is the practice … to cut them in to the one nearest the stem.
1852. G. W. Johnson, Cottage Gard. Dict., 842/2. Spurring is cutting the lateral or side-shoots, so as to leave only a few buds in length of them projecting from the main branches.
