Sprag
adj, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 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)."
- 2 a wooden prop used to support the roof of a mine wordnet
- 3 a chock or bar wedged under a wheel or between the spokes to prevent a vehicle from rolling down an incline wordnet
- 1 To check the motion of, as a carriage on a steep slope, by putting a sprag between the spokes of the wheel. transitive
"Accidents happen to the driver while running alongside his trip, spragging wheels or applying brakes"
- 2 To prop or sustain with a sprag. transitive
- 1 Alternative form of sprack. alt-of, alternative
"a good sprag memory"
Example
More examples"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)."
Etymology
See spray (“a branch”).
Related phrases
More for "sprag"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.