well-sprungadj.
/ˈwɛlˌsprʌŋ/, U.S. /ˈwɛlˌsprəŋ/ 1. Very intoxicated. Cf. sprung adj.1 5a. Now archaic.
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1835 Age 13 Sept. 295/2 Spring Rice here sprung upon the table, being pretty well sprung before, and..took up the song at the next verse.
1851 S. Judd Margaret (rev. ed.) II. xiii. 83 Ex-Corporal Whiston with his friends sallied from the store well sprung.
1911 R. Nevill Floreat Etona ix. 277 Two well-known Eton and Harrow ‘cads’, both pretty well ‘sprung’, started a little mill on their own account.
2008 K. Hughes Lord Scandal 89 That's good brandy, and you're obviously well sprung as it is.
2. Of the ribs (esp. in a specified breed of animal): extending correctly from the spine; well-formed.
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1856 Economist 12 July 757/1 The ribs are usually not well sprung, and there is a want of depth in the fore-quarters.
1885 Cent. Mag. May 36/1 The back is strong and broad, and the ribs well sprung, showing a proper placement of the vertebrae.
1919 Pastoral Rev. (Melbourne) 16 Oct. 965 The standard type of Polwarth sheep is a sheep of fairly level top, with well-sprung ribs and generally robust frame.
1976 K. Reddick Horses 18 It has a..deep, broad chest, fairly long, straight back, and well-sprung ribs.
2005 B. Harcourt-Brown Bearded Collie 31/2 The ribs are well sprung from the spine but are flat at the sides.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2017; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1835