Word of the day: Sprag

Sprag

[sprag]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Unknown origin, 17th century

1.A simple brake on a vehicle, especially a stout stick or bar inserted between the spokes of a wheel to check its motion.

2.A prop used to support a roof, wall, or seam.

Examples of sprag in a sentence

"After cutting the firewood, my uncle cut a few sprags to use as door stops around the house."

"My brother once built a backyard tunnel so complex, it had a wooden roof supported by sprags."

About Sprag

The source of “sprag” is obscure, though in its earliest appearance in English, “sprag” referred to a twig; around the same time, “spragge” in Swedish meant the same thing. “Sprag” may also be related to “sprig,” describing a small branch or a rod.

Did you Know?

While we have the noun forms listed here, the verb “to sprag” can refer to the act of creating a simple vehicle brake by placing a stout stick (a sprag) in between the spokes of a vehicle. As a result, the noun versions of the word can be used as verbs: One can sprag a wall by supporting it with a sprag of timber, and one can sprag a wheel to stop its motion by jamming a sprag into it.