sprig

[sprig] /sprɪg/
noun
1.
a small spray of some plant with its leaves, flowers, etc.
2.
an ornament having the form of such a spray.
3.
a shoot, twig, or small branch.
4.
Facetious. a scion, offspring, or heir of a family, class, etc.
5.
a youth or young fellow.
6.
glazier's point.
7.
a headless brad.
8.
Metallurgy.
  1. a small peg for reinforcing the walls of a mold.
  2. a metal insert, used to chill certain portions of cast metal, that becomes an integral part of the finished casting.
verb (used with object), sprigged, sprigging.
9.
to mark or decorate (fabrics, pottery, etc.) with a design of sprigs.
10.
to fasten with brads.
11.
Horticulture. to propagate a plant, especially grass, by planting individual stolons.
12.
Metallurgy. to reinforce the walls of (a mold) with sprigs.
13.
to remove a sprig or sprigs from (a plant).
Origin
1300-50; Middle English sprigge (noun); origin uncertain; sense “peg” perhaps of distinct orig.; cf. sprag1, spray2
Examples from the web for sprig
  • Garnish with a sprig of mint and top with the lemon peel and a dusting of sugar.
  • But a green sprig of mint, he found, could restore its goodness.
  • Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and a few whole juniper berries.
  • Serve in small portions garnished with a dill sprig.
  • The sprig of marinated pine, on the other hand, was delicious.
  • Upon germination, the species forms a small unbranched sprig, but soon begins to branch profusely into a clump.
  • Spoon into the shells and top with a crossed sprig of chives or a chive flower.
  • Liberty wears a blue cape and liberty cap, holds a sprig of oak leaves, and is accompanied by an eagle.
British Dictionary definitions for sprig

sprig

/sprɪɡ/
noun
1.
a shoot, twig, or sprout of a tree, shrub, etc; spray
2.
an ornamental device resembling a spray of leaves or flowers
3.
a small wire nail without a head
4.
(informal, rare) a youth
5.
(informal, rare) a person considered as the descendant of an established family, social class, etc
6.
(NZ) another name for stud1 (sense 7)
verb (transitive) sprigs, sprigging, sprigged
7.
to fasten or secure with sprigs
8.
to ornament (fabric, wallpaper, etc) with a design of sprigs
9.
to make sprays from (twigs and branches)
Derived Forms
sprigger, noun
spriggy, adjective
Word Origin
C15: probably of Germanic origin; compare Low German sprick, Swedish sprygg
Word Origin and History for sprig
n.

c.1400, "shoot, twig or spray of a plant, shrub," probably from Old English spræc "shoot, twig," of obscure origin.