ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sprint

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US //ˈspɹɪnt// UK //spɹˈɪnt// sprint

n. a short race where you run as fast as you can. It also means a short period of very hard work to finish a project quickly.

n. a short-distance race run at maximum speed. In project management contexts, it refers to a fixed period of time during which specific tasks must be completed.


SIMPLE

He won the hundred-meter sprint easily.

CONTEXTUAL

The development team finished the new features during a two-week sprint before the product launch.

COMPLEX

The final sprint toward the finish line required an immense burst of anaerobic energy that left the athletes gasping for air.

Synonyms
Origin

Alteration of earlier sprent (“to leap; bound; dart”), from Northern Middle English sprenten, from Old Norse sprenta (for later spretta), from Proto-Germanic sprantijaną, causative of Proto-Germanic sprintaną (“to jump up; bounce”), from Proto-Indo-European sprend-, sprendʰ- (“to flinch; jump”), from Proto-Indo-European sper- (“to twitch; fidget; flinch; jump; be quick”). Cognate with Middle High German sprenzen (“to sprinkle; splash”), Swedish spritta (“to startle”), Icelandic spretta (“to spring forth; emerge; arise; develop”).

Usage

Commonly used with the verb 'do' or 'run' in sports, and 'complete' or 'finish' in business contexts.

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