To sprint means to run as fast as you possibly can for a short distance. When you sprint, you're not jogging or pacing yourself for a long run. You're giving it everything you've got, pumping your arms and legs at full speed, usually to reach something quickly or win a race.

Track athletes sprint in races like the 100-meter dash, where the entire race is over in seconds. You might sprint to catch a bus that's about to leave, or sprint across the playground when you hear the bell ring. In tag or capture the flag, you sprint to avoid being caught or to reach the goal.

The word can also describe short bursts of intense effort in other activities. Software developers work in sprints, focusing intensely on completing specific tasks in a week or two before taking a break to plan the next sprint. A student might do a homework sprint, concentrating hard to finish an assignment in one focused session.

Because sprints require maximum effort, they can't last long. A sprinter runs out of energy quickly, which is why sprints are measured in seconds or minutes, not hours. The power of a sprint is in giving everything you have for a short time, rather than holding back for the long haul.