■ verb run at full speed over a short distance.
■ noun an act or spell of ~ing.
↘a short, fast race run over a distance of 400 metres or less.
↘a short, fast race in cycling, horse racing, etc.
Derivatives
~er noun
~ing noun
Origin
C18 (as a dialect term meaning 'a bound or spring'): related to Swed. spritta .