spur
noun
\ ˈspər
\
\
Definition of spur
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: a pointed device secured to a rider's heel and used to urge on the horse
b
spurs plural
[ from the acquisition of spurs by a person achieving knighthood ]
: recognition and reward for achievement
won his academic spurs as the holder of a chair in a university— James Mountford
2
: a goad to action : stimulus
3
: something projecting like or suggesting a spur: such as
a
: a projecting root or branch of a tree, shrub, or vine
b(1)
: a stiff sharp spine (as on the wings or legs of a bird or insect)
especially
: one on a cock's leg
(2)
: a gaff for a gamecock
c
: a hollow projecting appendage of a corolla or calyx (as in larkspur or columbine)
d
: bone spur
e
: climbing iron
4a
: an angular projection, offshoot, or branch extending out beyond or away from a main body or formation
especially
: a ridge or lesser elevation that extends laterally from a mountain or mountain range
b
: a railroad track that branches off from a main line
5
: a reinforcing buttress of masonry in a fortification
on the spur of the moment
: on impulse : suddenly
spur
verb
spurred;
spurring
Definition of spur (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to urge (a horse) on with spurs
2
: to incite to action or accelerated growth or development : stimulate
3
: to put spurs on
: to spur one's horse on
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Synonyms & Antonyms for spur
Synonyms: Noun
boost, encouragement, goad, impetus, impulse, incentive, incitation, incitement, instigation, momentum, motivation, provocation, stimulant, stimulus, yeast
Synonyms: Verb
Antonyms: Noun
counterincentive, disincentive
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Examples of spur in a Sentence
Noun
the threat of losing its only sports franchise was the spur the city council needed to finally do something about the rising crime rate a weak wall that might need a spurVerb
The reward spurred them to work harder. Lower interest rates should spur economic growth. He spurred the horse onward.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Though technically a part of the spur, maintenance of the portion past the Louisiana exit falls to the city of Houston. — Dug Begley, Houston Chronicle, "Spur 527 exit to Brazos Street closing for repairs," 1 July 2019 Fun fact: the distillation column of Etheridge’s 2,000-gallon still is made from the recycled metal of a rail spur salvaged from the Warehouse District. — Phillip Valys, sun-sentinel.com, "Warehouse District: How West Palm Beach’s newest nightlife village found suds, spirits and ‘soul’," 6 June 2019 Back in the mists of evolution, the spurs were legs, and pythons’ ancestors walked on all fours. — Gena Steffens, Smithsonian, "The Snakes That Ate Florida," 11 July 2019 The researchers played down the observation that the spurs were also common in those over 60. — Faye Flam, Twin Cities, "Faye Flam: Some things are scary. ‘Horns’ from smartphone use aren’t.," 6 July 2019 The bad news is, the spurs are growing at the back of the skull. — Chris Morris, Fortune, "Cell Phones Might Be Causing Horns to Grow on Young People's Skulls," 20 June 2019 For any of that to happen, the spur-of-the-moment uprising will have to become more organized. — Ana Campoy, Quartz, "What’s next for Puerto Rico?," 25 July 2019 The ongoing Japan-U.S. trade negotiations should strengthen relations and spur even greater economic development in both countries. — Nobuyuki Hirano, Fortune, "How Japan Became a Model for Economic Revival," 18 July 2019 The shows: Reflecting the spontaneous nature of the music, Dylan insisted that shows be announced spur-of-the-moment style, with little or no formal advertising, relying instead on handbills distributed perhaps a few days before each show. — Randy Lewis, latimes.com, "Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue: A user's guide," 7 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Her eight children’s books (published in the 1930s and '40s) have sold 60 million copies and spurred an entire chunk of the American culture pie: a beloved TV series, pageants, plays, musicals, cookbooks, and more. — Elena Nicolaou, refinery29.com, "Little House, Big Fans: These People Really, Really Love Laura Ingalls Wilder," 24 Aug. 2019 Her seventh album Lover was released at midnight on Friday, spurring hundreds of thousands of excited fan tweets about the singer’s newest creative direction. — Marcus Jones, EW.com, "A track-by-track breakdown of Taylor Swift's new album Lover," 23 Aug. 2019 And from Australia to Europe, policy makers have been urging politicians to step up their spending, hoping that a hand from the government will spur consumption and keep their economies from tipping into recession. — Jeanna Smialek, BostonGlobe.com, "Central bankers, aiming to keep economies growing, must wrestle with politics, too," 22 Aug. 2019 Mishara's findings spurred call centers to revamp their protocols, and the roughly 170 centers that make up the Lifeline network now assess suicide risk on every call, Draper says. — Greg Miller, Science | AAAS, "Three suicide prevention strategies show real promise. How can they reach more people?," 22 Aug. 2019 Smoke has obscured visibility and prompted air quality warnings in Anchorage, spurring the school district’s decision to suspend outdoor activities on the first day of school Tuesday. — Beth Bragg, Anchorage Daily News, "Smoke sends high school athletes indoors and postpones some events," 21 Aug. 2019 The court ruled in that case that Solano County’s plan to limit development near Travis Air Force base required analysis of whether that might spur more intense development in adjacent areas where the limits wouldn’t be in effect. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "State Supreme Court rules San Diego marijuana law required more analysis," 19 Aug. 2019 Supporters of the park project hope the commitment spurs other donations. — Jessica Boehm, azcentral, "Phoenix's Margaret T. Hance Park to get new 'mega playground' after $2M donation," 19 Aug. 2019 But that doesn't preclude changes at the state level, with the courts spurring states along in the most egregious cases. — Timothy B. Lee, Ars Technica, "Judge orders Georgia to switch to paper ballots for 2020 elections," 16 Aug. 2019