- spike
- spikespike1 [spīk]n.[ME < ON spīkr, a nail, spike, or < MDu & MLowG spīker, both ult. < IE base * (s)p(h)ei-, sharp, pointed splinter > SPIT1, SPOKE1, L spica, ear of grain, spina,SPINE]1. a long, heavy nail2. 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 deer4.a) 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 slippingb) [pl.] a pair of such shoesc) a high, very thin heel on a woman's shoe: also spike heel☆ 5. a young mackerel not more than six inches long6.a) a transient wave or variation in potential difference that propagates along a nerve axonb) a graphic recording or tracing of this, as any of the jagged peaks in an electroencephalogram7. a sudden, rapid rise, as in blood pressurevt.spiked, spiking1. to fasten or fit with or as with a spike or spikes2. to mark, pierce, cut, etc. with a spike or spikes, or impale on a spike3. to make (a cannon) unusable by driving a spike into the touchhole4. to cause to rise suddenly and rapidly5. 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 shoes8. 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' courtvi.to rise suddenly and rapidly——————hang up one's spikesInformal to retire, as from a professional sportspike2 [spīk]n.[ME spik < L spica: see SPIKE1]1. an ear of grain2. an unbranched flower cluster with stalkless flowers attached directly to the central axis: see INFLORESCENCEspikedadj.
English World dictionary. V. Neufeldt. 2014.