spur
spur
UK[spɜː(r)]US[spɜːr]
n
a sharp pointed object attached to the heel of a rider's boot, used to encourage a horse to go faster.
n
something that encourages someone to do something or that causes something to happen faster.
v
to encourage someone to do something or to encourage something to happen.
v
to make a horse go faster by using spurs.
Etymology
the word 'spur' originates from the old english 'spura' or 'spora', which is of germanic origin. it is related to the dutch 'spoor' and the german 'sporn', all sharing the core concept of a pointed instrument for urging a horse forward. this term is further traced back to the proto-indo-european root sper-, meaning 'to kick' or 'to trample', which vividly connects the action of prodding with the foot to the object's function. over time, the concrete meaning of the riding tool naturally evolved into the abstract metaphorical sense of any stimulus or incentive that prompts action or accelerates progress, a semantic shift that occurred already in middle english.
Analysis
the word 'spur' is a simplex word of old english origin. it is not productively formed from smaller, independent morphemes in modern english.
Examples
the rider dug his spurs into the horse's flanks.
the award served as a spur to her continued research efforts.
falling profits might spur the company to restructure its operations.