spike Hear it!

spike¹ Definition

spike (spīk)

noun

  1. a long, heavy nail
  2. a sharp-pointed part or projection, usually slender and of metal, as along the top of an iron fence, etc.
  3. any long, slender, pointed object, as the unbranched antler of a young deer
    1. any of a number of sharp or pointed metal projections on the soles, and often on the heels, of shoes used for baseball, golf, track, etc. to prevent slipping
    2. a pair of such shoes
    3. a high, very thin heel on a woman's shoe
  5. ☆ a young mackerel not more than six inches long
    1. a transient wave or variation in potential difference that propagates along a nerve axon
    2. a graphic recording or tracing of this, as any of the jagged peaks in an electroencephalogram
  7. a sudden, rapid rise, as in blood pressure

Etymology: ME < ON spīkr, a nail, spike, or < MDu & MLowG spīker, both ult. < IE base *(s)p(h)ei-, sharp, pointed splinter > spit, spoke, L spica, ear of grain, spina, spine

transitive verb spiked, spik′·ing

  1. to fasten or fit with or as with a spike or spikes
  2. to mark, pierce, cut, etc. with a spike or spikes, or impale on a spike
  3. to make (a cannon) unusable by driving a spike into the touchhole
  4. to cause to rise suddenly and rapidly
  5. to thwart, frustrate, or block (a scheme, etc.)
  6. ☆ Slang to add a substance, as a narcotic or other drug, to (a drink, food, etc.); specif., to add alcoholic liquor to (a drink)
  7. Baseball to injure with the spikes on one's shoes
  8. Football to throw (the football) to the ground, esp. in celebration of scoring a touchdown
  9. ☆ Volleyball to leap into the air while close to the net and smash (the ball) into the opponents' court

intransitive verb

to rise suddenly and rapidly

spike¹ Idioms

hang up one's spikes

Informal to retire, as from a professional sport

spike² Definition

spike (spīk)

noun

  1. an ear of grain
  2. an unbranched flower cluster with stalkless flowers attached directly to the central axis

Etymology: ME spik < L spica: see spike

spike² Related Forms
spiked adjective
spike Synonyms

spike

n.

  1. A large nail

    brad, peg, pin, hob, stud; see also nail.

    Styles of spikes include: cut, wire, iron, railway, dock, forked, barbed.

  2. Sizes of spikes include: twenty-penny, forty-penny, sixty-penny.

  3. A spikelike cluster

    raceme, inflorescence, head; see bunch 1, stalk.

spike Synonyms

spike

v.

nail, pin, make fast; see fasten 1.

spike Telecom Definition
A voltage fluctuation of very short duration, but very high voltage. See also surge and voltage.
spike Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • flower: The short spikes of small pure white flowers are borne freely in late spring.

Object

  • lawn: Before applying the fertilizer, spike the lawn with a fork or with a spiking machine and water the area thoroughly.
  • drink: People spike drinks for a number of reasons including wanting to sexually assault, rape or rob the person whose drink they have spiked.

Adjective modifier

  • centrotemporal: Abnormal neuroimaging in patients with benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes.
  • flowering: Edna St. Vincent Millay This plant, with its very tall flowering spike, is commonly found along roadsides, and in fields.
  • tall: In summer they produce tall dense spikes of many small pea shaped flowers.
  • sharp: He is a man carrying a loaded gun with a sharp spike on the end.
  • purple: In addition Liatris spicata which has purple spikes will push through the foliage.
  • transient: A bypass capacitor stores an electrical charge that is released to the power line whenever a transient voltage spike occurs.

Modifies a noun

  • belay: A good spike belay can be found by scrambling some 20m further up.
  • tv: Also learn how little crime i'm or spike tv.
  • heel: Mind you, I wasn't wearing spike heels at the time -- or have I at any time, for that matter.
  • timing: Using the canonical model to explore neuronal activity: precision and spike timing.
  • rush: Shallow pools have yet another sundew, along with spike rush, bog sedge, and the spectacular bogbean.

Noun used with modifier

  • diffraction: Because almost all reflecting telescopes produce diffraction spikes, many people are used to seeing them and don't consider them an aberration.
  • flower: Beneath the flower spikes are numerous dark green leaves, tapered at both ends.
  • voltage: Protection diodes may now be included to protect the transistors from voltage spikes in this mode.
  • metal: Metal spikes are not allowed on the golf course.
  • iron: The gangplank was hoisted on a post and fitted with an iron spike which would embed itself in the deck of an enemy vessel.
  • insulin: The fastest way to suppress cortisol is from the insulin spike cause only by a high glycemic carbohydrate.

Browse dictionary entries near spike

  1. ‹ spigot
  2. ‹ spiffy
  3. ‹ spiff
  4. ‹ spier
  5. ‹ spiel
  6. ‹ spiegeleisen
  7. ‹ spidery
  8. ‹ spiderwort
  9. ‹ spider plant
  10. ‹ spider monkey
  1. spike a rumor ›
  2. spike lavender ›
  3. spike-tooth harrow ›
  4. spikelet ›
  5. spikenard ›
  6. spiky ›
  7. spile ›
  8. spiling ›
  9. spill ›
  10. spillage ›