spree English · revision 1204

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /spɹiː/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Its origin is uncertain.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) Barnhart suggests an alteration of French [[esprit]] “lively wit”,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) while the American Heritage Dictionary suggests an alteration of Scots ''spreath'' “cattle raid”,^(AHD)^(Etymonline) [[der|gd|spréidh|t=cattle, wealth]],^(AHD)^(Etymonline) [[der|mga|preid|t=booty]],^(AHD)^(Etymonline) ultimately [[der|la|praeda|t=plunder]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline) It would then be related to [[prey]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A lively or boisterous frolic (1804), first in Scots dialect.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By 1811 the word meant a drinking bout,^(AHD)^(OED 1989) and the phrase ''on the spree'' is from 1847.^(OED 1989) The sense of an unrestrained indulgence in some activity, as in a ''spending spree'', is recorded from 1849.^(AHD) Scots and Irish dialects also have a sense “a fight”, which may link the word to the cattle raid.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1804 – a lively outing or frolic.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1811 – a drinking bout.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1825 – verb, to take part in a spree.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1849 – an overindulgence in an activity.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A carefree, lively outing; a [[frolic]].^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A bout of drinking; a [[binge]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)

+ # An unrestrained burst of some activity, as in a ''spending spree''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To take part in a spree.^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[prey]]

+ * [[esprit]]

+ * [[binge]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Wiktionary notes that the noun is often preceded by the name of an activity, as in ''shopping spree''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}