Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Sprag

Sprag

(sprăg)
,
Noun.
[Cf. Icel.
spraka
a small flounder.]
(Zool.)
A young salmon.
[Prov. Eng.]

Sprag

,
Noun.
[See
Spray
a branch.]
A billet of wood; a piece of timber used as a prop.

Sprag

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Spragged
(sprăgd)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Spragging
(-gĭng)
.]
1.
To check the motion of, as a carriage on a steep grade, by putting a sprag between the spokes of the wheel.
R. S. Poole.
2.
To prop or sustain with a sprag.

Sprag

,
Adj.
See
Sprack
,
Adj.
Shak.

Webster 1828 Edition


Sprag

SPRAG

,
Adj.
Vigorous; sprightly. [Local.] [Note. In America, this word is, in popular language, pronounced spry, which is a contraction of spright, in sprightly.]

SPRAG

,
Noun.
A young salmon. [Local.]

Definition 2024


sprag

sprag

English

Adjective

sprag (comparative more sprag, superlative most sprag)

  1. Alternative form of sprack
    • Shakespeare
      A good sprag memory.

Etymology 2

See spray (a branch).

Noun

sprag (plural sprags)

  1. A billet of wood; a piece of timber, a similar solid object or constructed unit used as a prop.
    • 1956, United States Department of the Army, United States Department of the Air Force, Principles of Automotive Vehicles, Technical Manual 9-8000, page 325,
      A sprag (fig. 349) is a steel block so shaped as to act as a wedge in the complete assembly. In the sprag unit under discussion, there are 42 sprags assembled into an outer race and held in place by two energizing springs (fig. 350).
    • 1981, (US) Departments of the Army and Air Force, Maintenance: Direct Support, and General Support Level, Technical Manual 9-2520-246-34-1, page 2-201,
      When checking sprags, anvil and spindle ends of micrometer and flat back of sprag must all rest on a flat surface as shown in view A.
      Since wear on all sprags in any one sprag unit will be the same, it is only necessary to check 5 sprags in each assembly.
    • 2008, Cliff Ruggles, GM Automatic Overdrive Transmission Builder's and Swapper's Guide, page 52,
      The sprag should still be taken apart for visual inspection of the components. I have seen sprags that still functioned correctly, but when taken apart, the spring cage that holds the sprag elements was completely destroyed.
    • 2009, Jack Erjavec, Automotive Technology: A Systems Approach, Cengage Learning, page 1192,
      A one-way sprag clutch (figure 40-36) consists of a hub and a drum separated by figure-eight-shaped metal pieces called sprags. The sprags are shaped this way so they can lock between the races when a race is turned in one direction only.
Derived terms
  • sprag clutch

Verb

sprag (third-person singular simple present sprags, present participle spragging, simple past and past participle spragged)

  1. (transitive) To check the motion of, as a carriage on a steep slope, by putting a sprag between the spokes of the wheel.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of R. S. Poole to this entry?)
  2. (transitive) To prop or sustain with a sprag.

Etymology 3

Compare Icelandic spraka? a small flounder.

Noun

sprag (plural sprags)

  1. A young salmon.