spur

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /spɜːr/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Verb

Plain form spur

Third-person singular spurs

Past tense spurred

Past participle spurred

Present participle spurring

1. (transitive) If you spur someone or something, you encourage or push them to take action.

   The teacher's words spurred him to study harder.

2. (transitive) If you spur a horse, you make it go faster by using spurs on your boots.

   He spurred his horse into a gallop.

Noun

Singular spur

Plural spurs

1. (countable) A spur is a sharp metal piece on a rider’s boot used to make a horse go faster.

   The cowboy wore boots with silver spurs.

2. (countable) A spur is something that encourages or motivates action.

   Winning the award was a spur for her to keep writing.