¦ verb run at full speed over a short distance.
¦ noun an act or spell of sprinting.
?a short, fast race run over a distance of 400 metres or less.
?a short, fast race in cycling, horse racing, etc.
Derivatives
sprinter noun
sprinting noun
Origin
C18 (as a dialect term meaning 'a bound or spring'): related to Swed. spritta.