Origin and history of sprung

Middle English springen, from Old English springan "to leap, leap up, jump;" of a fountain, spring, etc., "burst forth;" also "fly up; spread, grow" (class III strong verb; past tense sprang, past participle sprungen). This is from Proto-Germanic *sprenganan (source also of Old Norse springa "burst," Old Frisian springa, Middle Dutch springhen, Dutch springen, Old Saxon and Old High German springan, German springen "jump"). This is usually said to be from PIE *sprengh-, a nasalized form of root *spergh- "to move, hasten, spring" (source also of Sanskrit sprhayati "desires eagerly," Greek sperkhesthai "to hurry"). However Boutkan is attracted to an alternative derivation from PIE root *sper- "to spread, to sow" (for which see sparse).

In Middle English, it took on the role of causal sprenge, from Old English sprengan (as still in to spring a trap, etc.). The meaning "to cause to work or open," by or as by a releasing of the spring mechanism, is from 1828.

The transitive meaning "announce suddenly, bring out hastily and unexpectedly" (usually with on) is from 1876. The meaning "to release" (from imprisonment) is from 1900. The slang meaning "to pay" (for a treat, etc.) is recorded from 1906.