Spring Idioms

Several words have become part of the language in being used in phrases. Last time we looked at ‘bomb’ and now look at ‘spring’.

Spring has more than one use, the word referring to the metal coil which proves so useful in keeping us comfortable and also in a clockwork mechanism. Both these can be traced back to Germanic words meaning ‘burst, jump, etc’. Yet we also use ‘spring’ to refer to a water source, this can also be traced back to the same origins, and the season we now find ourselves in – at least in the northern hemisphere. This last usage is rather different as it comes from Proto-Indo-European sper meaning ‘to spread, sow’ and therefore taken from the action of sowing before those seeds burst forth into plants; later giving a name to the season when such planting happens. Note the action of spreading or sowing sees the seeds spread more sparsely – and ‘sparse’ also has its origins in the Proto-Indo-European sper.

Spring fever is seen from 1843, a reference to romantic feelings. Prior to that it was used to refer to a head cold, or to any minor ailment.

Spring roll, as in the cuisine, is first seen in 1943.

Spring chicken may be used to mean ‘young person’ today – although usually used in the negative as in ‘no spring chicken’ – but that has only been true since 1906. Before the 20th century, specifically since 1780, it referred to the bird aged 11 to 14 weeks.

Spring training today is used almost exclusively in referring to baseball; but before 1889 the same phrase spoke of the gathering together of military forces after a winter of little action.

Spring tides rise at or shortly after the full moon and are higher than the norm and is seen since 1520. The reference to the season is simply an erroneous ‘springtime’. Prior to 1520 these high tides (not confined to the season) had been known as a ‘spring flood’.

Springtime itself had been used for the season since at least the late 14th century.

Offspring were unknown before 1600. Prior to that we find ‘ofspring’, ‘ospring’, and ‘oxspring’.

Springboard, and this is in the sense of the board used for vaulting, surprisingly comes from as early as 1774. Clearly the metaphorical sense came later.

Springtails are insects using bristles at their rear end to aid in leaping. Known as such since 1797, the species has been around for millions of years and thus not known as such for most of their existence.

Mainspring, as in the primary spring in a mechanism, is first seen in 1590 – although it is not clear whether the clock or the gun was first to use the term.

Springbok, the gazelle synonymous with South Africa, is named from the Afrikaans meaning ‘to leap’ and has been known as such since 1775. Prior to that they were known to the locals as ‘trekbokke’ – amongst others.