Pale sort of spring (4)
I believe the answer is:
leap
'spring' is the definition.
(both can mean to jump)
'pale sort' is the wordplay.
'sort' indicates anagramming the letters.
'pale' is an anagram of 'LEAP'.
'of' is the link.
(Other definitions for leap that I've seen before include "Jump across" , "as 1984 was" , "some years?" , "Jump, spring" , "Spring suddenly" .)