spring tide

spring tide
1. the large rise and fall of the tide at or soon after the new or the full moon. See diag. under tide1.
2. any great flood or swelling rush: a spring tide of compliments.
[1520-30]

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      tide of maximal range, near the time of new and full moon when the Sun and Moon are in syzygy—i.e., aligned with the Earth. conjunction is the time during new moon when the Sun and Moon lie on the same side of the Earth. The other syzygy condition, opposition, occurs during full moon when the Sun and Moon are positioned on opposite sides of the Earth. In either case of syzygy, the tide-producing forces of the Sun and the Moon reinforce each other, and the tidal amplitudes on Earth are at their greatest. See tide.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Spring tide — Spring Spring, n. [AS. spring a fountain, a leap. See {Spring}, v. i.] 1. A leap; a bound; a jump. [1913 Webster] The prisoner, with a spring, from prison broke. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. A flying back; the resilience of a body recovering its… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spring tide — Tide Tide, n. [AS. t[=i]d time; akin to OS. & OFries. t[=i]d, D. tijd, G. zeit, OHG. z[=i]t, Icel. t[=i]?, Sw. & Dan. tid, and probably to Skr. aditi unlimited, endless, where a is a negative prefix. [root]58. Cf. {Tidings}, {Tidy}, {Till}, prep …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spring|tide — «SPRIHNG TYD», noun. = springtime. (Cf. ↑springtime) spring tide, 1. the exceptionally high and low tides which come at the time of the new moon or the full moon, especially the highest level of high tide: »Approximately twice monthly the sun,… …   Useful english dictionary

  • spring tide — spring tides N COUNT A spring tide is an unusually high tide that happens at the time of a new moon or a full moon …   English dictionary

  • spring tide — n. 1. a type of tide that occurs at the time of a new moon or full moon: at these times the high tides are higher and the low tides are lower than the corresponding tides during neap tide because of the gravitational effects of the straight line… …   English World dictionary

  • spring tide — n a large rise and fall in the level of the sea at the time of the ↑new moon and the ↑full moon →↑neap tide …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • spring tide — spring′ tide′ n. mer the large rise and fall of the tide at or soon after the new or the full moon • Etymology: 1520–30 …   From formal English to slang

  • spring tide — ► NOUN ▪ a tide just after a new or full moon, when there is the greatest difference between high and low water …   English terms dictionary

  • spring tide — noun count a time when there is a big difference between the highest and lowest levels of the ocean …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • spring tide — noun 1. : a tide of greater than average range between high and low tide that occurs twice each synodic month around the times of new and full moon when the tidal actions of the sun and moon are nearly in the same direction compare flood tide,… …   Useful english dictionary

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