spur

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To encourage or push someone to do something.

   The good results spurred her to work even harder.

2. 2
   noun

   Something that encourages or motivates you to do something.

   Winning the prize was a real spur to keep writing.

3. 3
   noun

   A sharp metal point on the heel of a rider's boot, used to make a horse go faster.

   The rider dug his spurs into the horse's sides.

4. 4
   verb

   To make a horse go faster by pressing the spurs on your boots into its sides.

   I spurred my horse to make it go faster.

From Middle English spure, spore, from Old English spora, spura, from Proto-West Germanic *spurō, from Proto-Germanic *spurô, from Proto-Indo-European *sperH- (“to kick”).

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