If you said that you were “happy to spring for a takeaway”..

[CurlewKate]

..would your friendship circle knew what you meant?

I have never heard of it (I'm in my late 50s,) and I've heard of a LOT of sayings, including many American ones.. And that's a ridiculous, ignorant, and rude thing to say, that anyone who hasn't heard of it is 'poorly read.'

Just because you have heard of it, that doesn't make you any better than those who haven't, or more 'well-read.' 🙄 I'm sure I am familiar with things YOU have never heard of. I'm obviously not going to suggest any, because you will simply say you have heard of them.

@CurlewKate Like MANY on this thread, I have never heard of it, (and neither has my DH or my 2 DC who are in their late 20s - I have just asked them,) but I would guess it means you will get it/pay for it.

I've never heard it (Londoner) but would assume you meant you were paying for everyone

I’ve never heard the word “spring “ used in this context. I woudn’t know what it meant . Perhaps offering to go out and get it is how I would interpret it

Exactly! Can't be very common (in the UK) as a huge amount of posters on here have never heard of it.

Never heard of it (another Londoner)

But lots of posters in the UK have heard of it and for many it's commonly used in conversation so therefore for many it absolutely is a common phrase?

If you spring for something, it means you pay for it. It is a phrase in common usage and is not safe to use if you don't want to pay for someone else's dinner/holiday/whatever.

I think spring for also sounds as if it could mean choose as in plump for unless context makes it obvious.

Never ever heard it & asked my partner who hadn’t either. We’re in Glasgow though, perhaps more of an English thing.

No, never heard it before.

I’ve never heard this phrase before.

Love the “poorly read” assumption! I am very well read indeed, but I don't think I have ever come across the expression in a book!

I would guess correctly what it meant but I’ve never heard it before. Perhaps it’s regional.

I'm surprised anyone could categorically say that they learnt an expression from a book rather than from watching TV. It would have to be a bet unusual saying for me to remember exactly how learned it!

haha same, oxbridge masters in a humanities subject, not sure I've ever heard the phrase in real life, but perhaps I have as my guess (not even a guess really, more of a logical assumption, there's only so many things that would make sense in context) was right.

The 'poorly read' argument is bizarre, it's not as if the phrase 'spring for a takeaway' pops up often in Chaucer, Flaubert, or even Mantel, is it?

I would know what it means but I’ve not heard the phrase used for many years! I think it’s just a bit old-fashioned maybe?

I've not personally heard it used but have read in books/seen in TV.

No.
Not sure if it means you are going to physically get it or if it means anything about paying.

For me it means-and has meant all my life-that I will pay for everyone. It was a term my father used, and he was Australian (that chimed with another couple of posters)

I knew exactly what you meant @CurlewKate but it reminded me again that when I was taken out to Australia with migrating parents, I was often perplexed at Australian English usages (and don't get me started on the impenetrable accent!).

Australia is a different country!

Where in the NW are you? I'm by Liverpool and have never heard it.

I can work out what it means though.

Never heard this turn of phrase myself. So I would assume it meant paying for everyone??

In my native language spring would mean you go and get it and its just a short walk away.

Never heard this expression.

Sons and Daughters, Neighbours, Home and Away etc probably didn't come in book form.

I’ve never heard the phrase but I sort of guessed what it meant after having a little think!