spike

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“
The rachis of the spike is angular, with scattered tubercle-based bristly hairs Illustration: Fig.

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Definitions (62)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (33)

  1. noun A long, thick, sharp-pointed piece of wood or metal.
  2. noun A heavy nail.
  3. noun A spikelike part or projection, as:
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (9)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (3)

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Examples (50)

  • Do you think the spike is under your left hand, or under your right hand? —  Keith Barry does brain magic
  • At its smallest, a ground transient is relatively harmless; typically 2,000 to 2,500 volts - causing disruptions and outages; but, at 6,000 volts, this spike is a killer. —  Recently Uploaded Slideshows
  • While this season's weather created severe avalanche risks, experts say the spike is also a result of more skiers seeking avalanche-prone terrain. —  USATODAY.com News - Top Stories
  • In fact, the spike is the result of failed geocoding. —  All Points Blog
  • "We all view this as a spike, as a unique situation brought on by unique circumstances," he said.
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This word has been looked up 134 times.

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Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

claw ·  rod ·  bolt ·  nail ·  blade ·  wire ·  needle ·  peak ·  steel ·  shaft ·  spire ·  beam

Used in the same contextWord Family

spike:   spiked ·  spikes ·  Spike

Etymologies (5)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. Middle English, from Old Norse spīk.
  2. Middle English, from Latin spīca.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (3)

  1. Early modern English also spyke; from Middle English spik = Icelandic spīk = Swedish spik, a spike, = Irish spice = Welsh ysbig, a spike; cf. Middle Dutch spijcker, Dutch spijker = Middle Low German Low German spiker = Old High German spicāri, spichāri, spīhhiri, Middle High German spicher, German speicher-nagel, spieker = Norwegian spiker = Danish spiger (with added suffix -er); cf. (with loss of initial s) Irish pice, Gaelic pīc, Welsh pig. a peak, pike (see pike); = Spanish Portuguese espiga = Italian spiga, a spike, = Old French espi, espy, a pointed ornament, also Old French espi, French épi, wheat; from Latin spica, feminine, also spicus, masculine, and spieum, neuter, a point, spike, ear of corn, the top, tuft, or head of a plant (spicus crinalis or spicum crinale, a hair-pin). Hence spicous, spicose, etc., and ult. spike, spigot, pike, pick, etc., spine, etc
  2. = Middle Dutch spijcke, spick, Dutch spijk, from Old French spicque, French spic, lavender; cf. New Latin Lavandula Spica, spike-lavender; from Latin spica, a spike: see spike. Cf. aspic.
  3. spike, n. (?)
 

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/spɪk/
by American Heritage

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