A spring tide is an unusually high tide that happens at the time of a new moon or a full moon.
spring tide in British English
noun
1.
either of the two tides that occur at or just after new moon and full moon when the tide-generating force of the sun acts in the same direction as that of the moon, reinforcing it and causing the greatest rise and fall in tidal level. The highest spring tides (equinoctial springs) occur at the equinoxes
Compare neap tide
2.
any great rush or flood
spring tide in American English
1.
a type of tide that occurs at the time of a new moon or full moon: at these timesthe high tides are higher and the low tides are lower than the corresponding tides during neap tide because of the gravitational effects of the straight-line alignment of the moon, earth, and sun
2.
any great flow, rush, or flood
Examples of 'spring tide' in a sentence
spring tide
This also coincided with a high spring tide.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
There its furious winds and deep low pressure drove the sea up into a mighty bulge that surged southwards on top of a high spring tide.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
This followed the heavy rains from Storm Imogen earlier in the week combined with high spring tides.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
High spring tides will affect tidal rivers and coasts this weekend, though it will have little impact as the weather is set to remain largely dry.