spring n.
1. an escape or release from prison; thus make a spring v., to escape, to cause to be released.
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Powers That Prey 64: We only had to make one spring, an’ that didn’t cost us over six hundred. | |
| ‘The Informal Execution of Soupbone Pew’ in From First to Last (1954) 68: Honey Grove laid a plan for a big spring—a get-away—while they were up yonder. It looked like it would go through, too. | |
| High Sierra in Four Novels (1984) 392: Another wad for coppers and turnkeys. All we can get our mitts on for a spring if we need it. |
2. attrib. use of sense 1.
| Autobiog. of a Thief 38: The capital of a grafter is called ‘spring-money,’ for he may have to use it at any time in paying the lawyer who gets him off in case of an arrest, or in bribing the policeman. | |
| Young Wolves 121: I oughta save this for the spring-lawyer to get Pop outa hock. |
SE in slang uses
In compounds
(US) a keen, eager person.
 | State.com 2 Oct. 🌐 Lindsey Graham’s friends say he was always ambitious, but never a ‘springbutt.’ That was what he and his law school buddies called the students who practically sprang out of their seats to answer the professor’s question [etc.]. |
(US Und.) cleaning up, hiding or getting rid of evidence.
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Observer Screen 1 Aug. 6: Spring cleaning: cleaning up, hiding or getting rid of evidence. |
(Aus.) elastic-sided boots.
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Popular Dict. Aus. Sl. |
In phrases
a prison (cf. ankle spring warehouse under ankle n.).
| , , | | Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Spring-ankle warehouse. Newgate, or any other gaol (Irish). |
| Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1785]. | |
| Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue. | |
| (con. 1715) Jack Sheppard (1917) 162: He’s now in spring-ankle warehouse with Sir Rowland Trenchard. |