spur

noun

/spɜː(r)/

/spɜːr/

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a sharp pointed object that riders sometimes wear on the heels of their boots and use to encourage their horse to go faster马刺；靴刺
- He dug his spurs into the horse’s sides.他用马刺踢马的两侧。
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
… of spurs
- pair
verb + spur
- dig in
- dig into something
See full entry
[usually singular] a fact or an event that makes you want to do something better or more quickly鞭策；激励；刺激；鼓舞 synonym motivation
- spur (to something) His speech was a powerful spur to action.他的讲话很有鼓动力。
- A few encouraging words might provide just the spur she needs.几句鼓励的话可能正好提供她需要的激励。
- spur for something The research provided a spur for reform.这项研究推动了改革。
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- great
- powerful
verb + spur
- act as
- be
- give (somebody)
- …
preposition
- spur for
- spur to
See full entry
an area of high ground that sticks out from a mountain or hill山嘴；尖坡；支脉Topics Geographyc2
a road or a railway track that leads from the main road or line（公路或铁路的）支线，岔线Topics Transport by bus and trainc2

Word OriginOld English spora, spura, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch spoor and German Sporn, also to spurn.

Idioms

on the spur of the moment

suddenly, without planning in advance一时冲动之下；心血来潮
- I phoned him up on the spur of the moment.我一时冲动，给他打了电话。
- a spur-of-the-moment decision心血来潮的决定

win/earn your spurs

verb

/spɜː(r)/

/spɜːr/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they spur	/spɜː(r)/ /spɜːr/
he / she / it spurs	/spɜːz/ /spɜːrz/
past simple spurred	/spɜːd/ /spɜːrd/
past participle spurred	/spɜːd/ /spɜːrd/
-ing form spurring	/ˈspɜːrɪŋ/ /ˈspɜːrɪŋ/

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to encourage somebody to do something or to encourage them to try harder to achieve something鞭策；激励；刺激；鼓舞
- spur somebody/something (on) to something/to do something Her difficult childhood spurred her on to succeed.她艰辛的童年激励她取得成功。
- My trainer spurred me to keep up a pace of four miles an hour.我的教练鼓励我保持每小时4英里的速度。
- spur somebody/something into something I was spurred into action by the letter.那封信激励我行动起来。
- spur somebody/something (on) The band has been spurred on by the success of their last single.最近一张单曲唱片的成功使乐队受到鼓舞。
spur something to make something happen faster or sooner促进，加速，刺激（某事发生）
- The agreement is essential to spurring economic growth around the world.这项协议对于促进世界经济的增长是至关重要的。
- The fire, spurred by high temperatures and strong winds, had burnt more than 140 acres.这场由高温和强风引发的大火已经烧毁了140多英亩土地。
- An increase in the country's arsenal could spur an arms race in the region.该国增加武器装备会刺激这一地区的军备竞赛。
spur something to encourage a horse to go faster, especially by pushing the spurs on your boots into its side策（马）前进；（尤指用马刺）策（马）加速
- As he shouted his order he spurred the horse forward suddenly.他一边喊着命令，一边突然策马向前。