sprint

Meanings

Noun

• A short race at top speed.
• A burst of speed or activity.
• In Agile software development, a period of development of a fixed time that is preceded and followed by meetings.

Verb

• To run, cycle, etc. at top speed for a short period.

Origin

• Alteration of earlier sprent, from Middle English sprenten, from Old English *sprentan, from Proto-Germanic *sprantijaną, causative of Proto-Germanic *sprintaną ("to jump up; bounce"), from Proto-Indo-European *sprend-, *sprendʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European *sper- ("to twitch; fidget; flinch; jump; be quick"). Cognate with Middle High German sprenzen ("to sprinkle; splash"), Swedish spritta ("to startle"), Icelandic spretta ("to spring forth; emerge; arise; develop").