# spring

/ˈspɹɪŋ/ (US) · /spɹˈɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/spring
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. the season

noun · CEFR A1

the season between winter and summer when plants start to grow.

For teachers: the temperate season between winter and summer, characterized by rising temperatures and the resumption of plant growth.

- The flowers in the garden always look beautiful in the spring.
- Farmers across the region are preparing their fields for the spring planting, hoping for a mild season without late frosts.

Usage: Usually used with 'the' or as a proper noun in specific contexts, though lowercase is standard.

### 2. metal coil

noun · CEFR A2

a piece of curved metal that returns to its shape after being pushed.

For teachers: an elastic object, typically a helical metal coil, that stores mechanical energy.

- The springs in the old mattress were so worn that it was uncomfortable.
- The engineer specified a heavy-duty steel spring to ensure the valve would close even under high pressure.

### 3. water source

noun · CEFR B1

a place where water comes naturally out of the ground.

For teachers: a natural point of groundwater discharge where the aquifer surface meets the ground.

- We hiked up the mountain to find the fresh water spring.
- The village was originally settled near a thermal spring, which provided a reliable source of warm water throughout the winter.

### 4. to jump suddenly

verb · CEFR B1

to move or jump suddenly and quickly.

For teachers: to move suddenly or rapidly upward or forward; to leap.

- The cat was ready to spring onto the mouse at any moment.
- As the starting pistol fired, the athletes seemed to spring from the blocks with explosive power.

Usage: The past tense is 'sprang' and the past participle is 'sprung'.

### 5. to appear or start

verb · CEFR B2

to appear or start to exist suddenly.

For teachers: to arise or emerge suddenly from a source or state.

- New coffee shops began to spring up all over the city.
- A feeling of hope began to spring in her heart after she heard the good news.

Usage: Often used with the particle 'up'.

### 6. to surprise someone

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to suddenly tell someone news or show them something they did not expect.

For teachers: to produce, provide, or disclose something unexpectedly.

- I didn't want to spring the bad news on him while he was eating.
- The defense attorney decided to spring the new evidence during the final hour of the trial to catch the prosecution off guard.

Usage: Usually takes the preposition 'on' followed by the person being surprised.

### 7. to release from jail

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang · American English

to help someone get out of prison, often illegally.

For teachers: to secure the release of someone from custody or imprisonment.

- In the movie, the hero tries to spring his friend from jail.
- The gang plotted for months to spring their leader from the high-security facility during a transport transfer.

Usage: Transitive verb; often used with 'from'.

### 8. to pay for

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal · American English

to pay for something, especially as a treat for someone else.

For teachers: to pay for or spend money on something, often unexpectedly or as a gesture.

- Since it was my birthday, my brother offered to spring for dinner.
- The company decided to spring for first-class tickets to reward the sales team for their record-breaking quarter.

Usage: Intransitive; almost always used with the preposition 'for'.

## Examples

- Flowers usually start to bloom in the spring.
- The park looks beautiful in the spring when the cherry blossoms finally emerge after the long winter.
- In many cultures, the arrival of spring is celebrated as a time of rebirth, coinciding with the period when agricultural activity resumes and wildlife begins its most active breeding cycle.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.