*source*

n. [ OE. sours, OF. sourse, surse, sorse, F. source, fr. OF. sors, p. p. of OF. sordre, surdre, sourdre, to spring forth or up, F. sourdre, fr. L. surgere to lift or raise up, to spring up. See Surge, and cf. Souse to plunge or swoop as a bird upon its prey. ] 1. The act of rising; a rise; an ascent. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Therefore right as an hawk upon a sours
Up springeth into the air, right so prayers . . .
Maken their sours to Goddes ears two. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The rising from the ground, or beginning, of a stream of water or the like; a spring; a fountain. [ 1913 Webster ]

Where as the Poo out of a welle small
Taketh his firste springing and his sours. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Kings that rule
Behind the hidden sources of the Nile. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That from which anything comes forth, regarded as its cause or origin; the person from whom anything originates; first cause. [ 1913 Webster ]

This source of ideas every man has wholly in himself. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

The source of Newton's light, of Bacon's sense. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Origin. [ 1913 Webster ]