sprent

American  

[sprent] / sprɛnt /

adjective

Archaic.

1. sprinkled.

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Etymology

Origin of sprent

First recorded in 1505–15; past participle of obsolete sprenge “to sprinkle,” Middle English sprengen, Old English sprengan; cognate with Old High German, Middle High German, German sprengen, Old Norse sprengja “to cause to jump”; cf. sprinkle

Example Sentences

In Cu. a pen is said to sprent when it scatters the ink over the paper.

From Scandinavian influence on Southern Lowland Scotch by Flom, George Tobias

What then shall hinder but a roscid aire With gentle heat each where be ’sperst and sprent.

From Democritus Platonissans by More, Henry

And as the arch with stars is sprent, I hear balm-dew from firmament Drip richly from their whispering leafage To soothe the fields to a sweet content.

From Song-waves by Rand, Theodore H. (Theodore Harding)

Mine arms have raised you from the cosmic deep;      Now Fire hath sprent his jewelled drops and sown Marvellous seeds whence beauty's plants shall creep      Season to season weaving, zone to zone.

From The Masque of the Elements by Scheffauer, Herman George

Such words as steed, swain, wight, muse, Pegasus, yclept, a-cold, sprent, bower, meed, isle, a-field, dight, sooth, hight, and many others, are hardly ever met with in ordinary prose.

From Elementary Guide to Literary Criticism by Painter, F. V. N. (Franklin Verzelius Newton)