spurt

[spurt] /spɜrt/
verb (used without object)
1.
to gush or issue suddenly in a stream or jet, as a liquid; spout.
2.
to show marked, usually increased, activity or energy for a short period:
The runners spurted forward in the last lap of the race.
verb (used with object)
3.
to expel or force out suddenly in a stream or jet, as a liquid; spout.
noun
4.
a sudden, forceful gush or jet.
5.
a marked increase of effort for a short period or distance, as in running, rowing, etc.
6.
a sudden burst or outburst, as of activity, energy, or feeling.
Also, spirt.
Origin
1560-70; variant of spirt; origin uncertain
Related forms
spurter, noun
spurtive, adjective
spurtively, adverb
outspurt, verb (used with object)
Synonyms
1. well, spring. See flow. 4. spout.
Antonyms
1. drip, ooze.
Examples from the web for spurt
  • Biggest growth spurt yet for powerhouse video service.
  • For example, it is normal for boys to have a growth spurt in weight and catch up in height later.
  • When sedatives injected into the dinosaur kick in, the razor jaws close down on the tongue and sever it in a spurt of dark blood.
  • The company's growth spurt has spawned a host of daunting questions that no data-retrieval system can easily answer.
  • As a result, the business experienced an almost uninterrupted growth spurt.
  • The biggest growth spurt occurred in the first couple of years of life.
  • The last third of pregnancy is one long growth spurt for the fetal brain.
  • Rich countries will be cursed indeed if they cannot put on an occasional growth spurt.
  • But this spurt looks more sustainable and it has to be.
  • But as with any new regulations, a spurt of innovation followed.
British Dictionary definitions for spurt

spurt

/spɜːt/
verb
1.
to gush or cause to gush forth in a sudden stream or jet
2.
to make a sudden effort
noun
3.
a sudden forceful stream or jet
4.
a short burst of activity, speed, or energy
Word Origin
C16: perhaps related to Middle High German sprützen to squirt
Word Origin and History for spurt
v.

"to gush out, squirt," 1560s, variant of spirt, perhaps cognate with Middle High German spürzen "to spit," and sprützen "to squirt" (see sprout). The noun in this sense is attested from 1775.

n.

"brief burst of activity," 1560s, variant of spirt "brief period of time" (1540s), of uncertain origin, perhaps somehow connected with spurt (v.).