English · Idiom Historical

Spring Tide

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

The tide that springs or leaps or swells up. These full tides occur a day or two after the new and full moon, when the attrac- tion of both sun and moon act in a direct line.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Topics: Water Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “Spring Tide” mean?

The tide that springs or leaps or swells up. These full tides occur a day or two after the new and full moon, when the attrac- tion of both sun and moon act in a direct line.

Is “Spring Tide” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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