spur

1 noun (C)

1 a sharp pointed object on the heel of a rider's boot which is used to encourage a horse to go faster

2 a fact or event that makes you try harder to do something: Did your father's success act as a spur when you started in business?

3 do sth on the spur of the moment to do something suddenly, without thinking about it before you do it: On the spur of the moment she picked up the phone and called Mike.

—see also: spur­of­the­moment

4 a piece of high ground which sticks out from the side of a hill or mountain

5 a railway track or road that goes away from a main line or road

6 the stiff sharp part that sticks out from the back of a male chicken's leg

2 verb spurred, spurring

1 also spur on (T) to encourage someone to try harder in order to succeed: spur sb (on) to: It's unlikely that harsh criticism will spur a child on to greater efforts. | spur sb into action (=to make someone start doing something)

2 (T) to make an improvement or change happen faster: Lower taxes would spur investment and help economic growth.

3 (I, T) to encourage a horse to go faster, especially by pushing it with special points on the heels of your boots