different between bough vs sprig

English

Alternative forms

• bow, bowe (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English bough, bowe, bogh, bo?e, bo?, from Old English b?h, b?g (“arm; shoulder; bough”), from Proto-Germanic *b?guz (“upper arm; shoulder”) (compare German Bug (“shoulder, hock, joint”)), from Proto-Indo-European *b?eh???ús (“forearm, elbow”) (compare Ancient Greek ????? (pêkhus, “forearm”), Old Armenian ?????? (bazuk, “arm, forearm, bough”), Persian ????? (b?zu, “upper arm”), Sanskrit ???? (b?hú, “arm”)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba?/
• Homophone: bow
• Rhymes: -a?

Noun

bough (plural boughs)

1. A firm branch of a tree.
   • 2013, J. M. Coetzee, The Childhood of Jesus. Melbourne, Australia: The Text Publishing Company, chapter 18. p. 172:

     A pair of birds settle on the bough above them, murmuring together, ready to roost.

2. (obsolete, poetic) The gallows.

Derived terms

• cut not the bough that you are standing upon

Translations

Further reading

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “bough”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

English

Etymology

From Middle English sprig, sprigge, of uncertain origin. Compare dialectal English sprag (“sprig, twig”), Old English spræc (“a shoot”), German Low German Spricke, Sprick (“dry branch, twig”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sp???/
• Rhymes: -??

Noun

sprig (plural sprigs)

1. A small shoot or twig of a tree or other plant; a spray.

2. An ornament resembling a small shoot or twig.
3. One of the separate pieces of lace fastened on a ground in applique lace.
4. (humorous, sometimes mildly derogatory) A youth; a lad.
5. A brad, or nail without a head.
6. A small eyebolt ragged or barbed at the point.
7. A house sparrow.

Translations

Verb

sprig (third-person singular simple present sprigs, present participle sprigging, simple past and past participle sprigged)

1. To decorate with sprigs, or with representations of sprigs, as in embroidery or pottery.

Anagrams

• PIRGs, grips, prigs