spur

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
spur
    n 1: a verbalization that encourages you to attempt something;
         "the ceaseless prodding got on his nerves" [syn: {goad},
         {goading}, {prod}, {prodding}, {urging}, {spur},
         {spurring}]
    2: any sharply pointed projection [syn: {spur}, {spine},
       {acantha}]
    3: tubular extension at the base of the corolla in some flowers
    4: a sharp prod fixed to a rider's heel and used to urge a horse
       onward; "cowboys know not to squat with their spurs on" [syn:
       {spur}, {gad}]
    5: a railway line connected to a trunk line [syn: {branch line},
       {spur track}, {spur}]
    v 1: incite or stimulate; "The Academy was formed to spur
         research"
    2: give heart or courage to [syn: {spur}, {goad}]
    3: strike with a spur
    4: goad with spurs; "the rider spurred his horse"
    5: equip with spurs; "spur horses"
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Spur \Spur\ (sp[^u]r), n. [See {Sparrow}.] (Zool.)
   (a) A sparrow. [Scot.]
   (b) A tern. [Prov. Eng.]
       [1913 Webster]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Spur \Spur\, n. [OE. spure, spore, AS. spura, spora; akin to D.
   spoor, G. sporn, OHG. sporo, Icel. spori, Dan. spore, Sw.
   sporre, and to AS. spor a trace, footstep, spyrian to trace,
   track, examine, and E. spurn. [root]171. Cf. {Sparrow},
   {Spere}, {Spoor}, {Spurn}.]
   1. An implement secured to the heel, or above the heel, of a
      horseman, to urge the horse by its pressure. Modern spurs
      have a small wheel, or rowel, with short points. Spurs
      were the badge of knighthood.
      [1913 Webster]

            And on her feet a pair of spurs large. --Chaucer.
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      [1913 Webster]

   2. That which goads to action; an incitement.
      [1913 Webster]

            Fame is the spur that the clear spirit doth raise
            (That last infirmity of noble mind)
            To scorn delights and live laborious days. --Milton.
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   3. Something that projects; a snag.
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   4. One of the large or principal roots of a tree. --Shak.
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   5. (Zool.) Any stiff, sharp spine, as on the wings and legs
      of certain birds, on the legs of insects, etc.;
      especially, the spine on a cock's leg.
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   6. A mountain that shoots from any other mountain, or range
      of mountains, and extends to some distance in a lateral
      direction, or at right angles.
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   7. A spiked iron worn by seamen upon the bottom of the boot,
      to enable them to stand upon the carcass of a whale, to
      strip off the blubber.
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   8. (Carp.) A brace strengthening a post and some connected
      part, as a rafter or crossbeam; a strut.
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   9. (Arch.)
      (a) The short wooden buttress of a post.
      (b) A projection from the round base of a column,
          occupying the angle of a square plinth upon which the
          base rests, or bringing the bottom bed of the base to
          a nearly square form. It is generally carved in
          leafage.
          [1913 Webster]

   10. (Bot.)
       (a) Any projecting appendage of a flower looking like a
           spur. --Gray.
       (b) Ergotized rye or other grain. [R.]
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   11. (Fort.) A wall that crosses a part of a rampart and joins
       to an inner wall.
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   12. (Shipbuilding)
       (a) A piece of timber fixed on the bilge ways before
           launching, having the upper ends bolted to the
           vessel's side.
       (b) A curved piece of timber serving as a half beam to
           support the deck where a whole beam can not be
           placed.
           [1913 Webster]

   13. (Mining) A branch of a vein.
       [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   14. The track of an animal, as an otter; a spoor.
       [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   {Spur fowl} (Zool.), any one of several species of Asiatic
      gallinaceous birds of the genus {Galloperdix}, allied to
      the jungle fowl. The males have two or more spurs on each
      leg.

   {Spur gear} (Mach.), a cogwheel having teeth which project
      radially and stand parallel to the axis; a spur wheel.

   {Spur gearing}, gearing in which spur gears are used. See
      under {Gearing}.

   {Spur pepper}. (Bot.) See the Note under {Capsicum}.

   {Spur wheel}. Same as {Spur gear}, above.
      [1913 Webster]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Spur \Spur\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Spurred} (sp[^u]rd); p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Spurring}.]
   1. To prick with spurs; to incite to a more hasty pace; to
      urge or goad; as, to spur a horse.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To urge or encourage to action, or to a more vigorous
      pursuit of an object; to incite; to stimulate; to
      instigate; to impel; to drive.
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            Love will not be spurred to what it loathes. --Shak.
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   3. To put spurs on; as, a spurred boot.
      [1913 Webster]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Spur \Spur\, v. i.
   To spur on one's horse; to travel with great expedition; to
   hasten; hence, to press forward in any pursuit. "Now spurs
   the lated traveler." --Shak.
   [1913 Webster]

         The Parthians shall be there,
         And, spurring from the fight, confess their fear.
                                                  --Dryden.
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         The roads leading to the capital were covered with
         multitudes of yeomen, spurring hard to Westminster.
                                                  --Macaulay.
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         Some bold men, . . . by spurring on, refine themselves.
                                                  --Grew.
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from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
SPUR

   An early system on the {IBM 650}.

   [Listed in CACM 2(5):16 (May 1959)].

   (1994-12-01)
    
from V.E.R.A. -- Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (June 2006)
SPUR
       Supercomputing Program for Undergraduate Research
       
    
from U.S. Gazetteer (1990)
Spur, TX (city, FIPS 69848)
  Location: 33.47813 N, 100.85487 W
  Population (1990): 1300 (714 housing units)
  Area: 2.9 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
  Zip code(s): 79370
    
from U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000)
Spur, TX -- U.S. city in Texas
   Population (2000):    1088
   Housing Units (2000): 641
   Land area (2000):     1.615794 sq. miles (4.184888 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    1.615794 sq. miles (4.184888 sq. km)
   FIPS code:            69848
   Located within:       Texas (TX), FIPS 48
   Location:             33.477650 N, 100.857018 W
   ZIP Codes (1990):     79370
   Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
   Headwords:
    Spur, TX
    Spur
    
from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
225 Moby Thesaurus words for "spur":
      accelerate, activation, actuation, aculeate, acuminate, animate,
      appendage, arm, arouse, awaken, barb, barbel, barbule, bill, bough,
      branch, brashly, breakwater, bundle, bustle, cage, cape, catalyst,
      cheer on, chersonese, cog, comb, coral reef, corral, countenance,
      crag, crest, crowd, cuspidate, delta, dispatch, drive, drive on,
      drove, edge, egg on, encourage, encouragement, excitant, excite,
      exhort, expedite, fang, favor, file, flog, foreland, forward, gad,
      gadfly, gaff, goad, goad on, grind, hand, harrow, haste, hasten,
      hasten on, hastily, head, headland, herd, hie on, hilltop, hone,
      hook, hound on, hurry, hurry along, hurry on, hurry up, hustle,
      hustle up, imp, impel, impetuously, impetus, impromptu, impulse,
      impulsively, incautiously, incentive, incitation, incite,
      incitement, induce, inducement, instigate, instigation, jag, joint,
      knoll, lash, leg, limb, link, lobe, lobule, lofty peak, member,
      motivate, motivation, motive, mountaintop, mull, naze, needle,
      ness, nudge, offshoot, oilstone, on the spot, organ, oxgoad, peak,
      pecten, peninsula, pic, pico, pike, pinion, pinnacle, point, poke,
      precipice, precipitate, press, pressure, prick, process, prod,
      projection, promontory, prompt, prompting, prong, propel,
      provocation, provoke, punch cattle, push, push on, push through,
      quicken, quill, railroad through, rake, rally, ramification,
      rashly, ratchet, recklessly, reef, reset, ride herd on, root on,
      round up, rouse, rowel, runner, rush, rush along, sandspit,
      sawtooth, scion, set, sharpen, shepherd, sic, snag, snaggle, speed,
      speed along, speed on, speed up, spiculate, spike, spine, spire,
      spit, spray, sprig, sprocket, spur on, stampede, steeple,
      stimulant, stimulate, stimulation, stimulus, sting, stir, strap,
      strop, suddenly, summit, switch, tail, taper, tendril,
      thoughtlessly, tine, tongue, tooth, tor, twig, unexpectedly,
      unpremeditatedly, unthinkingly, urge, urge on, urging, whet, whip,
      whip along, whip on, whiplash, wing, wrangle

    

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