Word Study
sprout
CIDE DICTIONARY
sprout, v. i. [OE. sprouten, spruten; akin to OFries. spr, AS. spreótan, D. spruiten, G. spriessen, Sw. spruta to squirt, to spout. Cf. Sprit, v. t. & i. , Sprit a spar, Spout, v. t. , Spurt.].
- To shoot, as the seed of a plant; to germinate; to push out new shoots; hence, to grow like shoots of plants. [1913 Webster]
- To shoot into ramifications. Bacon. [1913 Webster]
sprout, v. t.
- To cause to sprout; as, the rain will sprout the seed. [1913 Webster]
- To deprive of sprouts; as, to sprout potatoes. [1913 Webster]
- The shoot of a plant; a shoot from the seed, from the stump, or from the root or tuber, of a plant or tree; more rarely, a shoot from the stem of a plant, or the end of a branch. [1913 Webster]
- Young coleworts; Brussels sprouts. Johnson. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
sprout, v. & n.
--v.
1 tr. put forth, produce (shoots, hair, etc.) (has sprouted a moustache).
2 intr. begin to grow, put forth shoots.
3 intr. spring up, grow to a height.
--n.
1 a shoot of a plant.
2 = BRUSSELS SPROUT.
--v.
1 tr. put forth, produce (shoots, hair, etc.) (has sprouted a moustache).
2 intr. begin to grow, put forth shoots.
3 intr. spring up, grow to a height.
--n.
1 a shoot of a plant.
2 = BRUSSELS SPROUT.
Etymology
OE sprutan (unrecorded) f. WG
THESAURUS
sprout
accrue from, adventurer, arise, arise from, be contingent on, be due to, begin, bine, bloom, blossom, bough, bourgeois gentilhomme, branch, branchedness, branchiness, brew, bud, bud from, burgeon, burst forth, come from, come out of, come up, deadwood, depend on, derive from, descend from, develop, emanate from, emerge from, ensue from, filiation, flagellum, flourish, flow from, flower, follow from, fork, frond, gather, gemmate, germinate, germinate from, grow, grow from, grow out of, grow rank, grow up, hang on, hinge on, hypertrophy, increase, issue from, leaf, leaf out, leave, limb, luxuriate, mature, mushroom, name-dropper, newly-rich, nouveau riche, nouveau roturier, offset, offshoot, originate in, outgrow, overdevelop, overgrow, overrun, overtop, parvenu, pig in clover, proceed from, procreate, pullulate, put forth, put forth leaves, put out buds, ramage, ramification, reproduce, riot, root, runner, sapling, sarment, scion, seedling, set, shoot, shoot up, slip, social climber, spear, spray, sprig, spring from, spring up, sprit, sprout from, sprout up, status seeker, stem from, stolon, strike root, sucker, switch, take root, tendril, thallus, thrive, tower, tufthunter, turn on, twig, upshoot, upspear, upspring, upsprout, upstart, vegetate, wax, would-be gentlemanROGET THESAURUS
sprout
Increase
VB increase, augment, add to, enlarge, dilate, grow, wax, get ahead, gain strength, advance, run up, shoot up, rise, ascend, sprout, aggrandize, raise, exalt, deepen, heighten, strengthen, intensify, enhance, magnify, redouble, aggravate, exaggerate, exasperate, exacerbate, add fuel to the flame, oleum addere camino, superadd, spread.Posterity
N posterity, progeny, breed, issue, offspring, brood, litter, seed, farrow, spawn, spat, family, grandchildren, heirs, great-grandchild, child, son, daughter, butcha, bantling, scion, acrospire, plumule, shoot, sprout, olive-branch, sprit, branch, off-shoot, off- set, ramification, descendant, heir, heiress, heir-apparent, heir- presumptive, chip off the old block, heredity, rising generation, straight descent, sonship, line, lineage, filiation, primogeniture, filial, diphyletic, the child is father of the man, the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, like father, like son.Expansion
VB become larger &c (large), expand, widen, enlarge, extend, grow, increase, incrassate, swell, gather, fill out, deploy, take open order, dilate, stretch, distend, spread, mantle, wax, grow up, spring up, bud, bourgeon, shoot, sprout, germinate, put forth, vegetate, pullulate, open, burst forth, gain flesh, gather flesh, outgrow, spread like wildfire, overrun, be larger than, surpass, render larger &c (large), expand, spread, extend, aggrandize, distend, develop, amplify, spread out, widen, magnify, rarefy, inflate, puff, blow up, stuff, pad, cram, exaggerate, fatten.For further exploring for "sprout" in Webster Dictionary Online
