A spur is 1.) a small spike attached to a boot worn by horseback riders to be used to urge their horse onward or the act of using such a spike 2.) a spike on the back of a game bird’s leg 3.) something that branches off from the main 4.) something that motivates action or the act of motivating an action. Spur may be used as a noun or a transitive verb, which is a verb that takes an object. Related words are spurs, spurred, spurring, spurless. Spur is derived from the Old English word spura, related to the Dutch word spoor.
Spurn means to reject something or someone with contempt. Spurn is a transitive verb, which is a verb that takes an object. Related words are spurns, spurned, spurning, spurner. Spurn comes from the Old English word spurnan which means to reject, to despise.
Examples
The S&P 500 and the Dow scaled new highs on Thursday as JPMorgan’s strong results set an upbeat mood for earnings and spurred a rally in financial stocks. (The Globe and Mail)
The banking regulator spurred the recent crackdown on mortgage lending to foreigners by the banks, analysts claim, a fresh sign of officials’ concern about the growing glut of apartments. (The Australian)
A road maintenance project is scheduled to begin June 29 on Spur 80C near Staplehurst northwest of Seward, Nebraska. (The Omaha World-Herald)
Analysts had expected Monsanto to spurn Bayer’s higher offer, with some saying around $135 to $140 a share was a more realistic price. (The Wall Street Journal)
In today’s Washington, a firebrand conservative as dedicated to small government and low taxes as Armstrong was would surely spurn such a commission as unworthy of his time — if not an insult to his principles. (The Denver Post)