noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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spûrt
Received-Pronunciation:/spɜːt/
General-American:/spɜɹt/
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)t
CMU ARPABET:S P ER1 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A brief gush, as of liquid spurting from an orifice or a cut/wound.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
a spurt of water; a spurt of blood
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Ejaculation of semen.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A shoot; a bud.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A moment, a short period of time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: instant, jiffy, bat of an eye, bit, blink of an eye, crack, eyeblink, flash, glimpse, half a mo, jiff, jot, minute, mo, moment, New York minute, New York second, no time, sec, second, span, split-second, spurt, stound, tick, trice, twink, twinkle, twinkling, while
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A sudden brief burst of, or increase in, speed, effort, activity, emotion or development.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The boss's visit prompted a brief spurt of activity.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
The act of spurting, or something spurted
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To cause to gush out suddenly or violently in a stream or jet.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
To rush from a confined place in a small stream or jet.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
To make a strong effort for a short period of time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
The bullion market spurted on Thursday.
The runners spurted to the last lap as if they had extracted new energy from the applauds of the audience.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
the occurrence of a sudden discharge (as of liquid)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: jet, squirt, spirt
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: discharge, outpouring, run
Narrower terms: spray, spritz
11
verb
Meaning 11
move or act with a sudden increase in speed or energy
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: forge, spirt
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: travel, go, move, locomote
12
verb
Meaning 12
gush forth in a sudden stream or jet
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
water gushed forth
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: spirt, gush, spout
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: pour
Narrower terms: pump, blow, whoosh
History
Etymology
From earlier spirt, sprit (“to sprout”), from Middle English sprytten, from Old English spryttan, from Proto-West Germanic *spruttjan, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)per- (“to strew, sow, sprinkle”).
Uncertain. May be derived from Etymology 1.
Across languages
Translations
105 source translations are retained for this English entry.