spur
Related to spur: Heel spur, Bone spur
earn (one's) spurs
To prove one's skill in a particular area. Once you've watched the triplets for an entire day, then you'll have earned your spurs as a caretaker, as far as I'm concerned. After getting my bachelor's degree, I earned my spurs as a teacher by working in underfunded urban schools.
See also: earn, spur
earn (one's) stripes
To prove that one is deserving of a particular position or designation. I told the recruiter that I earned my stripes as a teacher before moving into administration.
See also: earn, stripe
hang up (one's) spurs
To stop doing something; to retire from something. I've been at the company for 30 years, so it's time for me to hang up my spurs. You're an adult now, and you can't stay out all weekend—it's time to hang up your spurs and ditch the party scene.
See also: hang, spur, up
on the spur of the moment
Very suddenly, impulsively, and/or without preparation beforehand; in an impromptu or capricious manner. You've got to stop making decisions about your business on the spur of the moment like this, or you'll end up running it into the ground! It's totally out my character to take a trip on the spur of the moment, but I just needed to get out of the city for a while.
See also: moment, of, on, spur
spur on
To urge, encourage, or goad someone onward in some task or activity. Likened to applying the spurs on one's boots to compel a horse to move forward or go faster. A noun or pronoun can be used between "spur" and "on." There were times when she wanted to give up, but her desire to beat her rival in the championship spurred her on. Analysts think the president's recent actions have spurred on the economy.
See also: on, spur
spur-of-the-moment
Occurring very suddenly, impulsively, and/or without preparation beforehand; impromptu or capricious. You've got to stop making these spur-of-the-moment decisions about your business, or you'll end up running it into the ground! It's totally out of my character to take a spur-of-the-moment trip like this, but I just needed to get out of the city for a while.
win (one's) spurs
To prove one's skill in a particular area and earn distinction or a good position as a result. Once you've watched the triplets for an entire day, then you'll have won your spurs as their caretaker, as far as I'm concerned. After getting my bachelor's degree, I won my spurs as a teacher by working short-term contracts in small urban schools for two years.
See also: spur, win
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
earn one's spurs
Fig. to prove oneself. After that rodeo, all the cowboys agreed that Sally had earned her spurs. He felt that he had earned his spurs when he received his Ph.D.
See also: earn, spur
on the spur of the moment
Fig. suddenly; spontaneously. We decided to go on the spur of the moment. I had to leave town on the spur of the moment.
See also: moment, of, on, spur
spur someone on
to urge someone onward; to egg someone on. (Fig. on applying spurs to a horse.) The crowd spurred the runners on throughout the race. The cheering spurred on the runners.
See also: on, spur
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
on the spur of the moment
Impulsively, without prior preparation, as in He decided to join a tour to England on the spur of the moment. This expression alludes to the goading action of a spur to a horse. [Late 1700s]
See also: moment, of, on, spur
spur on
Goad or urge ahead, as in The thought of winning a Pulitzer Prize spurred the reporter on. This expression transfers using spurs to make a horse go faster to incentives of other kinds. [Late 1500s]
See also: on, spur
win one's spurs
Gain a position or attain distinction through hard work or some special accomplishment. For example, After two years of freelancing, she won her spurs as a programmer and was hired for the top job . This expression originally alluded to being knighted for some act of bravery and was being used figuratively by the mid-1500s.
See also: spur, win
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
on the spur of the moment
COMMON If you do something on the spur of the moment, you do it suddenly and without planning it in advance. He decided on the spur of the moment to make the journey south to Newcastle. She asked me, on the spur of the moment, to go along with her. Note: A spur-of-the-moment action or decision is sudden and has not been planned in advance. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. It was like, let's do something with the kids before school starts. We hadn't planned it — it was a spur-of-the-moment thing.
See also: moment, of, on, spur
earn your spurs
orwin your spurs
mainly BRITISHCOMMON If you earn your spurs or win your spurs, you show you are capable of doing something well, and can be relied on to do it well in the future. How did he earn his spurs for the toughest police job in the country? Kampelman had won his spurs as U.S. negotiator at the Madrid talks. Note: In medieval times, when a man was made a knight, he was sometimes given a pair of golden spurs.
See also: earn, spur
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
on the spur of the moment
on a momentary impulse; without premeditation. 1988 Rodney Hall Kisses of the Enemy Now that was a witticism, an inspiration on the spur of the moment.
See also: moment, of, on, spur
win (or earn) your spurs
gain your first distinction or honours. informalIn the Middle Ages a knight who had won his spurs had attained knighthood by performing an act of bravery: a pair of gilt spurs were the distinguishing mark of a knight.
See also: spur, win
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
(do something) on the ˌspur of the ˈmoment
if you do something on the spur of the moment, you do it as soon as you think of it, without planning or preparation: When they telephoned me with the offer of a job abroad, I decided on the spur of the moment to accept. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision.See also: moment, of, on, spur
win/earn your ˈspurs
(formal) become successful or famous: You’ll win your spurs as a teacher if you can control class 5.See also: earn, spur, win
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
spur on
v.
1. To urge some horse onward by the use of spurs: The knight spurred the horse on across the shallow river. I spurred on the horse as fast as it could go.
2. To stimulate or encourage someone or something: Low gas prices spurred on the booming economy. We never could have finished the project if our boss hadn't spurred us on.
See also: on, spur
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
on the spur of the moment
Spontaneously and impulsively, without deliberation. This figure of speech, which likens the right time (the moment) to the goading action of spur to horse, dates from the late eighteenth century. Archibald Duncan used it in Lord Nelson’s Funeral (1806): “The contrivance of Mr. Wyatt, on the spur of the moment.”
See also: moment, of, on, spur
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- earn
- earn (one's) spurs
- earn spurs
- earn your spurs
- win (one's) spurs
- win one's spurs
- win your spurs
- win/earn your spurs
- worthy of the name
- be half the (something) (one) used to be