sprint

UK: /ˈsprɪnt/ US: /sprɪnt/ ,(sprint)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

sprint /sprɪnt/   v. 

1. Sport to race at full speed for a short distance, as in running:
   [no object* (~ + ahead)] At the last minute he sprinted (ahead) to win the race.
2. Sport to cover (a distance) in sprinting:
   [~ + object] to sprint a half mile.

n. [countable]

3. Sport a short race at full speed.
4. Sport a burst of speed.

sprint•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sprint  (sprint), v.i. 

1. Sport to race or move at full speed, esp. for a short distance, as in running, rowing, etc.

v.t. 

2. Sport to traverse in sprinting:
   to sprint a half mile.

n. 

3. Sport a short race at full speed.
4. Sport a burst of speed at any point during a long race, as near the finish line.
5. a brief spell of great activity.

• 1560–70; perh. continuing Old English *sprintan (compare gesprintan to emit); cognate with Old Norse spretta, Old High German sprinzan to jump up

sprint′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sprint / sprɪnt/ noun

1. a short race run at top speed, such as the 100 metres
2. a fast finishing speed at the end of a longer race, as in running or cycling, etc
3. any quick run

verb (intransitive)

1. to go at top speed, as in running, cycling, etc

Etymology: 16th Century: from Scandinavian; related to Old English gesprintan to emit, Old Norse spretta to jump up, Old High German sprinzan to jump up, Swedish sprata to kick

ˈsprinter noun