spurry

[ spur-ee, spuhr-ee ]

noun

, plural spur·ries.

1. any of several plants belonging to the genus Spergula, of the pink family, especially S. arvensis, having white flowers and numerous linear leaves.
2. any of various allied or similar plants.

Word History and Origins

Origin of spurry¹

First recorded in 1570–80; spur ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Spurry, spur′i, n. a plant of the genus Spergula.

From Project Gutenberg

Spergula, sper′gū-la, n. a genus of polypetalous annuals belonging to the Caryophyllace�, with small white or pink flowers—spurry or sandweed.—n.

From Project Gutenberg

Mowbray advises that the grass run should be sown "with common trefoil or wild clover, with a mixture of burnet, spurry, or storgrass," which last two kinds "are particularly salubrious to poultry."

From Project Gutenberg

Everywhere they grew fodder, and spurry and horse-beans.

From Project Gutenberg

That spurry leaves bruised and laid to a cut finger will speedily heal it, “whereof the Country people in divers places say they have had good experience,” and that it is also good for causing “the Kine to give more store of milke than ordinary otherwise, so it causeth Pullaine likewise to lay more store of egges.”

From Project Gutenberg