spring on


spring on

1. To leap, pounce, or dart onto someone or something. The dogs sprang on the sofa as soon as they were inside the house. I love watching the kids spring on Sarah when she comes home from work.2. To tell, present, or disclose something to someone that they were not expecting. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "spring" and "on." I'm springing a trip to Barcelona on my wife for her birthday. The boss sprang several huge changes to the project on me at the last minute.See also: on, spring

spring (up)on (someone, something, or an animal)

to jump on someone, something, or an animal; to pounce on someone, something, or an animal. (Upon is formal and less commonly used than on.) The lion sprang upon him and knocked him down. The cat sprang on the mouse and captured it.See also: on, spring

spring something on someone

 1. to surprise someone with something. I hate to spring this on you at the last moment, but I will need some money to travel on. Please don't spring any other demands on me. 2. to pull a trick on someone. Let me tell you about the trick I sprang on Sally. What are you going to spring on her this time?See also: on, spring

spring on someone

Present or make known unexpectedly, as in They sprung the news of their engagement on the family last night. This idiom uses spring in the sense of "make a sudden move." Mark Twain used it in Tom Sawyer (1876): "Old Mr. Jones is going to try to spring something on the people here tonight." See also: on, someone, spring

spring on

v. To present or disclose something to someone unexpectedly or suddenly: They sprang the news on all their friends that they were having a baby. The company president sprang on us the plan to lay people off.See also: on, spring