footspur

Noun

footspur (plural footspurs)

1. A foothill that shoots from a mountain or range in a perpendicular direction.
   • A footspur of Tantalus Hill seeks ineffectually to bar the entrance to Manoa's grateful shades and inviting solitudes.1865, H. WIllis Baxley, What I Saw on the West Coast of South and North America, page 523
   • A footspur of Bigelow Mountain rises to 2,000 feet in the northwest corner.1951, Richard A. Hebert, Modern Maine: Its Historic Background, People, and Resources, page 273
2. A crosspiece on a boat against which the rower braces his or her feet; stretcher.
   • My sickness was gone like a flash; I seized the oar, made a footspur of Don Sly's back, and, all pulling steadily, we held our our own till the squall spent itself and then we shot out of the ground swell, and headed across the bay.1882, Thomas Ainge Devyr, The Odd Book of the Nineteenth Century, Or, "Chivalry" in Modern Days, page 53
   • Betwean each beam of the boat is also fastened a piece of timber called a stretcher or footspur, against which they place their feet when rowing, to enable them to have a more complete command of their oar.1909, Samuel McSkimin, The History and Antiquities of the County of the Town of Carrickfergus, from the Earliest Records Till 1839, page 362
3. A spur or spike projecting from the foot, such as that worn to prod a horse, or that occurring naturally on some birds, such as roosters.
   • Slag here lifted the footspur to dash its brains out, as he had been enjoined; but the type of harmlessness, being now rested, escaped its new, and, shall we say, more irrational enemy, by flight.1855, Andrew Douglas, History of the Village of Ferryden, page 14
   • But they recked nothing thereof, went into the monastery, climbed up to the holy rood, and then took the crown from our Lord's head, all of beaten gold; then they took the footspur that was underneath His foot, which was all of red gold.1914, The Normans in England (1066-1154), page 6