spurt

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spurt /sp'ɜːrt/ (spurts spurting spurted)
1 [VERB] V n, V n, V prep, also V
When liquid or fire spurts from somewhere, or when something spurts liquid or fire, it comes out quickly in a thin, powerful stream.
They spurted blood all over me. I nearly passed out...
...a fountain that spurts water nine stories high...
I saw flames spurt from the roof.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V P
Spurt out means the same as spurt.
When the washing machine spurts out water at least we can mop it up...
Wear eye protection when opening the container, since it's so easy for contents to spurt out.
2 [N-COUNT] oft N of n
A spurt of liquid is a stream of it which comes out of something very forcefully.
A spurt of diesel came from one valve and none from the other.
= jet
3 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
A spurt of activity, effort, or emotion is a sudden, brief period of intense activity, effort, or emotion.
At adolescence, muscles go through a growth spurt...
= surge
4 [VERB] V prep/adv
If someone or something spurts somewhere, they suddenly increase their speed for a short while in order to get there.
The back wheels spun and the van spurted up the last few feet.
5 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If something happens in spurts, there are periods of activity followed by periods in which it does not happen.
The deals came in spurts: three in 1977, none in 1978, three more in 1979.

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