1.spur的基本意思指骑马时,用靴根或靴刺去刺马腹,使之向前疾进,引申指由于愉快、激动的心情或欲望而导致格外加速的行动,即“激励”。
2.spur只用作及物动词,接名词、代词作宾语,也可接以动词不定式充当补足语的复合宾语。
3.spur的宾语后常接介词to引起的短语,表示“鼓励某人去做…,促使某人去…”。
4.spur的过去式和过去分词均为spurred。

spur on(v.+adv.)
驱赶; 激励 drive; whip on; encourage; urge
▲spur sb/sth⇔on
It is foolish to spur on a willing horse.驱策温顺的马是愚蠢的。
The thought of the prize spurred me on.要把锦标夺到手这一思想激励着我前进。
It was bitterly cold walking home tonight but the thought of a hot drink in the house spurred me on.今晚步行回家非常寒冷,但是想到能在家里喝上一杯热饮我就来劲了。
◇ 用于be ～ed 结构
He was spurred on by ambition.他被野心所驱使。
She was constantly spurred on by a fear of failure.她担心会失败,这种想法不断刺激她发愤图强。

spur to(v.+prep.)
激励 impel sb to sth
▲spur sb to sth
The cheers spurred the team to victory.喝彩声激励队员们去夺取胜利。
Even a small success would spur me on to greater effort.即使是一次很小的成功也会激起我作出更大的努力。

用作及物动词
▲S+～+n./pron.
The riders spurred their horses.骑手们用踢马刺策马前进。
The girl's loving care spurred his recovery.姑娘的亲切照料促进了他的康复。
Professor Smith's new book spurs interest in his course.史密斯教授的新书鼓起了大家对他的课程的兴趣。
用作宾补动词
▲S+～+n./pron.+to-v
The coach spurred his players to fight harder.教练激励他的选手们奋力拼搏。

下面两句话的意思基本相同:
The threat of unemployment has spurred
students to work harder at their studies.
The threat of unemployment has spurred
students on to work harder at their
studies.
失业的威胁促使学生们更加努力学习。

［词源］＜古英语spura(马刺,刺激物,激励)

on the spur of the moment
凭一时冲动on a sudden impulse, without previous planning
On the spur of the moment, they decided to hold a fancy dress party.他们一时兴起,决定开一个化装舞会。

win one's spurs
获得荣誉〔名声〕achieve distinction or fame
Edison won his spurs as an inventor while rather young.爱迪生很年轻的时候就获得了发明家的声誉。

He dug in his spurs.他用马刺策马。
International competition is a spur to modernization.国际竞争是走向现代化的动力。
Such stories serve as a spur to children's imagination.这类故事能激发儿童的想象力。