spring
spring — adjective
- springpositive
- springercomparative
- springestsuperlative
1. containing coiled metal springs inside, so that a piece of furniture feels soft
containing coiled metal springs inside, so that a piece of furniture feels soft and supportive instead of hard or flat
Adina bought a new spring mattress for her back pain.
spring + [mattress] typical collocation
The old spring sofa had lost its shape after twenty years of use.
spring + [sofa] typical collocation
A spring cushion makes a long car journey much more comfortable.
Hotels often advertise spring beds as a sign of quality.
- spring mattress
- spring sofa
- spring bed
- spring cushion
- sprung
means the same but is less common; 'sprung mattress' is an alternative form
Grammar Patterns
spring + [furniture noun]
Usage Note
Almost always used before a noun that names a piece of furniture or a part of it (mattress, sofa, bed, cushion).
Common Mistakes
spring — noun
- springsingular
- springsplural
1. the season that comes after winter and before summer, when the weather gets warm
the season that comes after winter and before summer, when the weather gets warmer and new flowers and leaves begin to appear
Kofi and Linh plan to get married next spring.
in/next/last + spring (time reference)
Cherry trees in the park bloom every spring.
The garden looks beautiful in early spring when the tulips come out.
Spring is Sayaka's favourite season because she loves the mild weather.
spring + is + [season] structure
Many animals give birth to their young in the spring.
- early spring
- late spring
- last spring
- next spring
- spring weather
- spring flowers
- spring cleaning
- springtime
more poetic or literary; less common in everyday speech
Grammar Patterns
in (the) spring
spring + [noun]
Usage Note
Can be used with or without 'the': 'in spring' and 'in the spring' are both correct. Capitalised only when part of a proper noun (Spring Festival).
Common Mistakes
2. a length of wire wound into a tight spiral or curve that bounces back to its ear
a length of wire wound into a tight spiral or curve that bounces back to its earlier shape after you squeeze or stretch it
Ezra replaced the broken spring inside the clock.
replace/fix/change + spring
The springs in an office chair allow you to lean back without falling.
A trampoline works because many strong springs pull the mat back up.
Walid wound the spring tightly and placed the toy car on the floor.
wind/tighten + spring (mechanical action)
Valentina checked the car's suspension springs before the long road trip.
- strong spring
- broken spring
- coil spring
- suspension spring
- compress a spring
- release a spring
- coil
specifically a spring wound in a spiral shape
- elastic band
a rubber band, functionally similar but not made of metal
Grammar Patterns
spring + [verb]
[adjective] + spring
Usage Note
Often appears in compound nouns: 'coil spring', 'leaf spring', 'suspension spring'. The object is usually mechanical or part of a device.
3. a spot where underground water rises and reaches the surface on its own without
a spot where underground water rises and reaches the surface on its own without any pump or digging
The hikers stopped to drink from a cold mountain spring.
drink from + spring
This bottled water comes from a natural spring in the Alps.
natural spring (common collocation)
A hot spring in the valley attracts visitors all year round.
Linh discovered a small spring behind the old farmhouse.
The village gets its drinking supply from a nearby mineral spring.
mineral/hot/natural + spring
- natural spring
- hot spring
- mountain spring
- mineral spring
- cold spring
- spring water
Grammar Patterns
[adjective] + spring
spring of + [water/liquid]
Usage Note
Distinguish from 'well' — a well is dug or drilled by people, while a spring is a natural flow. 'Hot spring' is a common compound for geothermal springs.
4. the property of a substance that lets it go back to how it was before after bein
the property of a substance that lets it go back to how it was before after being stretched, bent, or squeezed
The spring of the yoga mat was gone after months of heavy use.
the spring of + [object]
Trampoline fabric loses its spring over time and needs replacing.
Christopher tested the spring of the diving board before jumping.
Good running shoes have enough spring to protect your knees.
have/enough spring (uncountable usage)
- good spring
- lose its spring
- have spring
- elasticity
more formal, commonly used in scientific contexts
- resilience
emphasises recovering from pressure rather than shape specifically
- stiffness
the opposite quality; lack of spring or give
Grammar Patterns
spring + of + [noun]
Usage Note
Uncountable — you cannot say 'a spring' when referring to elasticity. 'Elasticity' and 'resilience' are more formal synonyms.
Common Mistakes
5. a cheerful, lively, and energetic quality in the way someone walks, moves, or be
a cheerful, lively, and energetic quality in the way someone walks, moves, or behaves
Tamás walked down the street with a spring in his step after the news.
spring in [possessive] step (idiomatic phrase)
The little girl had so much spring in her that she could not sit still.
Even at seventy, Grandma still has a spring in her walk that amazes everyone.
Hari's voice has a cheerful spring that makes people smile.
spring in [possessive] voice/walk/step
- spring in your step
- spring in your walk
- full of spring
- lethargy
lack of energy; the opposite of having spring
- sluggishness
slow, heavy movement without bounce
Grammar Patterns
spring + in + possessive + [noun]
Usage Note
Most commonly found in the fixed phrase 'a spring in one's step', which means walking with energy and confidence. Outside this idiom, the sense is rare in everyday speech.
spring up
phrasal verbto appear, grow, or develop quickly and suddenly
Coffee shops have sprung up all over the neighbourhood in the past year.
Weeds sprang up overnight after the heavy rain.
spring from
phrasal verbto originate or come from a particular source, cause, or place
Her love of music springs from the hours she spent listening to her grandfather play the piano.
The idea for the invention sprang from a simple conversation about everyday problems.
spring on
phrasal verbto surprise someone with something unexpected, often bad news or a difficult question
The manager sprang the news of layoffs on the team during the morning meeting.
Valentina did not want to spring the difficult question on her guest right at the door.
no spring chicken
idiomno longer young — used humorously to say someone is getting older
Adina laughed when her nephew called her no spring chicken, but she knew he meant it kindly.
At forty-five, James is no spring chicken, but he can still run ten kilometres.
spring to mind
idiomto come suddenly and quickly into someone's thoughts
When Sayaka asked for an example of kindness, her grandmother immediately sprang to mind.
No good reason springs to mind why we should cancel the trip.
spring into action
idiomto start doing something suddenly with a lot of energy
The firefighters sprang into action as soon as the alarm rang.
When the chef dropped the tray, two helpers sprang into action to clean the mess.
spring a leak
idiomto develop a crack or hole through which liquid or gas escapes
The old boat sprang a leak during the storm and began to take on water.
Our water pipe sprang a leak last night and flooded the kitchen floor.
spring in your step
idioma bouncy, energetic way of walking that shows you feel happy and confident
Kofi had a spring in his step after the job interview went well.
The children walked home with a spring in their step on the last day of school.
Feeling very happy and full of energy.
After her vacation, Maya was full of the joys of spring.
Why is Diego so full of the joys of spring this morning?
spring — verb
- springpresent simple I / you / we / they
- springs3rd person singular
- springing-ing form
- sprangpast simple
- sprungpast participle
1. to push your body off the ground or off a surface using your legs, moving quickl
to push your body off the ground or off a surface using your legs, moving quickly and often suddenly in a particular direction
Ezra sprang out of bed when the alarm clock went off.
spring out/up/forward + [preposition]
The cat sprang from the sofa onto the window ledge.
Christopher sprang to his feet the moment his name was called.
Linh sprang forward to catch the vase before it hit the floor.
spring + direction adverb (forward, upward, back)
Walid sprang off the diving board and cut cleanly into the water.
- spring up
- spring out
- spring forward
- spring to your feet
- spring from
Grammar Patterns
spring + [adverb/preposition]
spring + [direction]
Usage Note
The past tense is 'sprang' (common) or 'sprung' (North American, informal). The past participle is always 'sprung'. Often followed by a direction word or prepositional phrase — if the sentence ends at 'sprang', it sounds incomplete.
Common Mistakes
2. to appear, arise, or come into existence quickly and unexpectedly
to appear, arise, or come into existence quickly and unexpectedly
A strong wind sprang up from nowhere and scattered the papers across the lawn.
spring up (phrasal: appear suddenly)
Tears sprang to Hari's eyes during the farewell speech.
The idea for the charity project sprang from a casual chat between two neighbours.
Doubts began to spring up in Tamás's mind about the plan.
spring up + in [someone's] mind/thoughts
A small cafe sprang into existence on the corner almost overnight.
- spring up
- spring from
- spring to mind
- spring into existence
- disappear
the opposite of appearing suddenly
Grammar Patterns
spring up
spring from + [source]
spring into + [existence]
Usage Note
Commonly used with 'up' ('spring up') or 'from' to indicate origin. The subject is often an abstract thing (feeling, idea, doubt) rather than a person deliberately doing something.
3. to do something, produce something, or make something happen in a sudden and une
to do something, produce something, or make something happen in a sudden and unexpected way, often giving someone a surprise
Sayaka sprang a birthday party on her roommate with the help of their friends.
spring + [something] + on + [someone] (pattern for surprises)
The reporter sprang a tough question on the mayor during the press conference.
Mark sprang the news that he was moving to London during dinner.
The old house sprang a terrible leak in the roof after the first big storm.
spring a leak (idiomatic transitive use)
- spring news on
- spring a surprise on
- spring a leak
- spring a question on
- spring on
the key phrasal verb pattern for this sense
- surprise with
more general, lacks the suddenness implied by 'spring'
- unleash
stronger, often negative connotation of releasing something powerful
Grammar Patterns
spring + [something] + on + [someone]
spring + [something]
Usage Note
Most common in the pattern 'spring something on someone' — the object is typically news, a question, a request, or a surprise. The past tense 'sprang' is standard; 'sprung' is sometimes used informally for both past tense and past participle in North America.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- springyadjectiveB2
- springtimenounA2
- springboardnounC1
- sprungadjectiveB1
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All five verbs describe a quick movement that takes your body off the ground, but they differ in speed, intention, and style. 'Jump' is the most general word — you can jump for joy, jump over a puddle, or jump in surprise. 'Spring' adds a sense of sudden, energetic release, as though a hidden force pushed you (The cat sprang from the sofa). 'Leap' suggests a long or dramatic jump, often over something or toward a goal; it sounds more literary than 'jump'. 'Bound' describes a series of light, energetic leaps in a forward direction, like a rabbit or a happy child. 'Dart' is different — it means to move quickly in a straight line more than to go upward, so it fits sudden sideways or diagonal motion (She darted into the shop). In everyday speech, 'jump' and 'leap' are the safest choices; 'spring' works best when you want to emphasise speed and a sudden trigger.
Common collocations
Phrases
- spring into action
- spring to life
- spring to mind
- spring to your feet
- spring into existence
Etymology
'Spring' comes from Old English 'springan' meaning 'to leap, burst forth, or fly up'. The word belongs to a family of Germanic verbs that all express sudden movement. The noun for the season developed because plants were seen as 'springing' from the ground at that time of year. The metal coil sense came later, based on the idea of something that springs back into shape. The word has kept its basic sense of sudden, energetic movement across more than a thousand years of English.