spring up verb2 •To appear suddenly.A breeze had sprung up, pushing the ship back within range of the Spanish cannons. •(figurative) To come rapidly into existence.In 1924 the Hashemite King Hussein was driven out of the Hedjaz by Ibn Saud, and a state of war sprang up between the new kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and Trans-Jordan. — 1956 formssprang up · sprung up · springing up · springs up