spur

¹ American  

[spur] / spɜr /

noun

1. a U -shaped device that slips over and straps to the heel of a riding boot and has a blunt or pointed metal part projecting from the back: used by a mounted rider to urge a horse forward by pressing the projection against the horse’s flank.

2. anything that urges or drives someone to act, hurry, etc..

   A passion to win the championship was the spur that galvanized him to train like never before.

   Synonyms:

   instigation, provocation, inducement, incentive, stimulus, incitement, goad

3. Also called climbing spur. climbing iron.

4. Ornithology. a stiff, usually sharp, horny process on the leg of various birds, especially the domestic rooster, or on the bend of the wing, as in jacanas and screamers.

5. Pathology. bone spur.

6. 1. a sharp piercing or cutting instrument fastened to the leg of a gamecock in cockfighting; gaff.

   2. anything resembling this instrument; a sharp projection or attachment.

7. Physical Geography. a ridge or line of elevation projecting from or subordinate to the main body of a mountain or mountain range.

8. a short or stunted branch or shoot, as of a tree.

9. Typography. a short, seriflike projection from the bottom of the short vertical stroke in the capital G in some fonts.

10. wing dam.

11. Botany.

    1. a slender, usually hollow, projection from some part of a flower, as from the calyx of the larkspur or the corolla of the violet.

    2. Also called spur shoot. a short shoot bearing flowers, as in fruit trees.

12. Architecture.

    1. a short wooden brace, usually temporary, for strengthening a post or some other part.

    2. any offset from a wall, as a buttress.

    3. griffe.

13. Ceramics. a triangular support of refractory clay for an object being fired.

14. Railroads. spur track.

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verb (used with object)

• spurs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• spurred,
  past participle,  past
• spurring
  present participle

1. to prick or urge with or as if with a spur or spurs; incite or drive (often used withon ).

   The rider spurred his mount into a wild gallop.

   Their encouragement spurred her on to achieve even more.

   Synonyms:

   instigate, induce, inspire, impel, stimulate, provoke, goad

   Antonyms:

   discourage

2. (of a gamecock) to strike or wound with a spur.

3. to furnish with spurs or a spur.

verb (used without object)

• spurs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• spurred,
  past participle,  past
• spurring
  present participle

1. to goad or urge one's horse on with spurs or a spur; ride quickly.

   Horsemen spurred along every road to carry the news over the country.

2. to proceed hurriedly; press forward.

   We spurred onward through the night.

idioms

1. on the spur of the moment, without deliberation; impulsively; suddenly.

   We headed for the beach on the spur of the moment.

2. win one's spurs, to achieve distinction or success for the first time; prove one's ability or worth.

   Our team hasn't won its spurs yet.

spur ² American  

[spur] / spɜr /

noun

Papermaking.

1. a batch of newly made rag-paper sheets.

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spur British  

/ spɜː /

noun

1. a pointed device or sharp spiked wheel fixed to the heel of a rider's boot to enable him to urge his horse on

2. anything serving to urge or encourage

   the increase in salary was a spur to their production

3. a sharp horny projection from the leg just above the claws in male birds, such as the domestic cock

4. a pointed process in any of various animals; calcar

5. a tubular extension at the base of the corolla in flowers such as larkspur

6. a short or stunted branch of a tree

7. a ridge projecting laterally from a mountain or mountain range

8. a wooden prop or a masonry reinforcing pier

9. another name for groyne

10. Also called: spur track. a railway branch line or siding

11. a short side road leading off a main road

    a motorway spur

12. a sharp cutting instrument attached to the leg of a gamecock

13. on impulse

14. 1. history to earn knighthood

    2. to prove one's ability; gain distinction

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verb

1. (tr) to goad or urge with or as if with spurs

2. (intr) to go or ride quickly; press on

3. (tr) to injure or strike with a spur

4. (tr) to provide with a spur or spurs

spur Scientific  

/ spûr /

1. A small ridge that projects sharply from the side of a larger hill or mountain.

2. A projection from a bone, as on the heel of the foot.

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spur More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing spur

• on the spur of the moment
• win one's spurs

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• spurrer
  noun
• spurless
  adjective
• spurlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• spurring
  present
• spurred
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• spur
  simple
• spurs
  simple
• have spurred
  perfect
• has spurred
  perfect
• am spurring
  progressive
• are spurring
  progressive
• is spurring
  progressive
• have been spurring
  perfect progressive
• has been spurring
  perfect progressive

Past

• spurred
  simple
• had spurred
  perfect
• was spurring
  progressive
• were spurring
  progressive
• had been spurring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will spur
  simple
• will have spurred
  perfect
• will be spurring
  progressive
• will have been spurring
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of spur¹

First recorded before 900; (for the noun) Middle English noun spore, spor(re), Old English spora, spura; cognate with Old High German sporo, Old Norse spori “spur”; verb derivative of the noun; akin to spurn

Origin of spur²

First recorded in 1880–85; origin uncertain

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Explanation

To spur something on is to get it going, to encourage it, to hasten it or stimulate. Cowboys wear spiky metal tools called spurs on their boots to kick their horses and spur them to greater speed. Economists talk of lowering interest rates to spur spending. A new source of funding for research will hopefully spur new proposals for research from scientists. An earthquake in China might spur cities in California to a higher standard of earthquake preparedness. You might spur your team on to victory by cheering from the sidelines.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spur spurs spurred spurring

El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by warmer waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean that spur changes in the atmosphere that can affect weather around the world.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026

Bob Hertzberg, former Senate Majority Leader and the architect of the proposal, said he wanted Proposition 37 to spur new construction.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026

"Companies are tapping into social media to help promote their business, but on the flip side, it creates these communities," he said, adding that "healthy competition" online can spur people on.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

The company, which has cut staff and overhauled its leadership team, said it was working to spur more viewing time.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

While many in the crowd believed that this decision had been made on the spur of the moment, it had been planned in detail for some time.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

AI demand spurs a deal for industrial software.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

He’s a witty and adventurous guide, wandering into side spurs of history, biography and travelogue, exploring snatches of verse along the way.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

"I think it's what spurs you on really, finding a new species. It's like the icing on the cake, or the cherry on top."

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

Christensen hopes artists engaging with the river spurs conversation for more equitable green investments that benefit communities and the environment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

But do you think my hands were as great a handicap as the bone spurs?

From "The Old Man and The Sea" by Ernest Hemingway

Intel on Thursday said that persistent weakness in demand for PCs, spurred by rising memory prices, was partly to blame for a forecast that came short of what analysts had been expecting.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026

Budget strains in Methuen, a city of about 55,000 near the New Hampshire border, spurred a debate about putting cherished programs like middle-school band and elementary-school science on the chopping block.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

He later noted that listening to Chuwi while living in Los Angeles was a small part of what spurred him to make that album — and invite the band for a feature.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026

The gains followed a largely healthy day on Wall Street, although analysts said a lot of the gains there were spurred by traders rotating into industrial firms and away from the once-all-powerful tech sector.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026

This spurred them to ride all night, but now the prize seems out of reach.

From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly

While Stewart was quick to remove the image from her page, screenshots had already spread across social media, spurring criticism.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

She said China risked missing its official target for the year, spurring a recent roll-out of mortgage subsidies for certain home purchases and support for infrastructure investment.

From Barron's ● Oct. 18, 2026

The case sent shockwaves through Sri Lanka, spurring diplomatic efforts to seek clemency.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

And so my own hope is if there’s something good that comes of this, it will be spurring conversations like this one, of not only how we kill, but whether we kill.

From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026

Akira cried, yanking on Dodger’s reins and spurring him away from the fire.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

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Related Words

• arouse
• drive
• propel
• push
• spark
• stimulate
• stir
• trigger

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