Spring

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

an elastic substance of any kind, having the power of recovering, by its elasticity, its natural state, after being bent or otherwise forced, inter between two objects in order posed to motion or permit them impart or check relatively to each other. Also, to yield one of the four seasons of the year; that season in which plants begin to spring In the and vegetate; the vernal season. Northern Hemisphere the spring season enbegins about March 21, when the sun ters the sign of Aries and ends about sol- June 22, at the time of the summer stice. Popularly, however, spring is considered to begin in February or March, and end in April or May. As a nautical term: (1) A crack in a mast or yard, running obliquely or transversely. (2) A rope or hawser passed from the stern of a ship and made fast to the cable on the anchor from the bow, by which she is riding. The object is any to bring the broadside to bear in direction. (3) A check on a cable while unshackling it. (4) A rope extending diagonally from the stern of one ship to the head of another, to make one ship sheer off to a greater distance. In physical geography and geology, an overflow of water or other liquid. When rain falls on a porous soil it is rapidly absorbed, the surface of the soil being soon dry again. Meanwhile the water has percolated downward till it has, at a greater or less depth, been intercepted by an impervious stratum, where it gradually forms a reservoir. It then presses with great force laterally, and a system of subterranean drainage is established. If the reservoir be on an elevation and a boring be made on a lower level to any of the branches leading from it, the water will rise in the bore to the surface and shoot up into the air to a height proportional to the pressure from the reservoir, as an artesian well, which is akin to a spring. Springs are of two kinds, land and perennial springs, the former existing where there is a porous soil with an impervious subsoil, the latter deriving their waters from deeper sources. Perennial springs include thermal springs and geysers. Sometimes springs contain much earthy material; thus there are calcareous, sulphurous and gypseous, siliceous, ferruginous, saline, carbonated and petroleum springs. They are then called mineral springs.