sprint
noun
- in athletics (track and field), a footrace over a short distance with an all-out or nearly all-out burst of speed
- competition in biathlon, 10 km for men and 7.5 km for women
verb
- run at top speed, possibly for a shorter distance
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /spɹɪnt/
noun
Etymology: Alteration of earlier sprent (“to leap; bound; dart”), from Northern Middle English sprenten, from Old Norse *sprenta (for later spretta), from Proto-Germanic *sprantijaną, causative of Proto-Germanic *sprintaną (“to jump up; bounce”), from Proto-Indo-European *sprend-, *sprendʰ- (“to flinch; jump”), from Proto-Indo-European *sper- (“to twitch; fidget; flinch; jump; be quick”). Cognate with Middle High German sprenzen (“to sprinkle; splash”), Swedish spritta (“to startle”), Icelandic spretta (“to spring forth; emerge; arise; develop”).
- A short race at top speed.
- A burst of speed or activity.
- In Agile software development, a period of development of a fixed time that is preceded and followed by meetings.
verb
Etymology: Alteration of earlier sprent (“to leap; bound; dart”), from Northern Middle English sprenten, from Old Norse *sprenta (for later spretta), from Proto-Germanic *sprantijaną, causative of Proto-Germanic *sprintaną (“to jump up; bounce”), from Proto-Indo-European *sprend-, *sprendʰ- (“to flinch; jump”), from Proto-Indo-European *sper- (“to twitch; fidget; flinch; jump; be quick”). Cognate with Middle High German sprenzen (“to sprinkle; splash”), Swedish spritta (“to startle”), Icelandic spretta (“to spring forth; emerge; arise; develop”).
- To run, cycle, etc. at top speed for a short period.
“"So I broke away early this mornin', gave my guard a kick in the tummy that laid him out, and sprinted for the camp.”