NOAD:
n. A noose or snare for catching small game.
Webster's Third:
¹springe - (n) 1: a noose fastened to an elastic body and drawn close with a sudden spring to catch a bird or other animal; 2: SNARE, TRAP <the herd mind was always laying ~s to catch the unwary -- V.L. Parrington>
²springe - (vt) to catch in a springe: ENSNARE; (vi) to set a springe
Pons-Collins:
Schlinge - loop [...] noose [...] sling [...] (= Falle) snare
__________
My guess is that those English speakers who know the noun know it from Shakespeare, which would be why it still appears in dictionaries, and should, including this one. I'd say it's relatively archaic, still used occasionally only for conscious (IMO pretentious) literary effect. Didn't know it was pronounced /sprinj/ either, learn something new every day, duh...
Like all the native speakers so far, I'd never heard of the verb at all. I'd either mark it rare or leave it out, unless someone can find a modern use. My web search turned up only this quote:
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/barret...(poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, 1864)
Since 'springe' does mean 'noose/snare,' both of which involve a loop of rope (apparently held under tension and suddenly 'sprung' to pull tight), I'm not sure I understand what would be wrong about 'Schlinge.' What am I missing?