First Known Use: 13th century
Dictionary
1spike
noun \ˈspīk\
Definition of SPIKE
1
: a very large nail
2
3
: something resembling a spike: as a : a young mackerel not over six inches (15.2 centimeters) long b : an unbranched antler of a young deer
4
plural : spike heel 2
5
: the act or an instance of spiking (as in volleyball)
6
a : a pointed element in a graph or tracing b : an unusually high and sharply defined maximum (as of amplitude in a wave train)
7
slang : hypodermic needle
8
: a momentary sharp increase and fall in electric potential; also : action potential
9
: an abrupt sharp increase (as in prices or rates)
— spike·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective
Origin of SPIKE
Middle English, probably from Old Norse spīk splinter & spīkr spike; akin to Middle Dutch spiker spike — more at spoke
2spike
verb
: to add alcohol or drugs to (food or drink)
: to add something that gives flavor or interest to (something)
: to increase greatly in a short period of time
spikedspik·ing
Full Definition of SPIKE
transitive verb
1
: to fasten or furnish with spikes
2
a : to disable (a muzzle-loading cannon) temporarily by driving a spike into the vent b : to suppress or block completely <spiked the rumor>
3
a : to pierce or impale with or on a spike b : to reject (as a story) for publication or broadcast for editorial reasons
4
a : to add an alcoholic beverage to (a drink) <spiked the punch> b : to add a foreign substance to <spike the coffee with tranquilizers> c : to add something highly reactive (as a radioactive tracer) to d : to add vitality, zest, or spice to : liven <spiked the speech with humor> <spike the broth with peppers>
5
: to drive (as a volleyball) sharply downward with a hard blow; also : to throw down sharply <spiked the ball in the end zone>
6
: to undergo a sudden sharp increase in (temperature or fever) <the patient spiked a fever of 103°>
intransitive verb
: to increase sharply <battery sales spiked after the storm>
— spik·er noun
See spike defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of SPIKE
1624
Related to SPIKE
3spike
noun
Definition of SPIKE
1
: an ear of grain
2
: an elongated inflorescence similar to a raceme but having the flowers sessile on the main axis — see inflorescence illustration
Origin of SPIKE
Middle English spik, from Latin spica — more at spine
First Known Use: 14th century
SPIKES Defined for Kids
1spike
noun \ˈspīk\
Definition of SPIKE for Kids
1
: a very large nail
2
: something pointed like a nail <She even wanted to forget … her horrible hair, now drying into stiff spikes. — Beverly Cleary, Ramona Quimby>
3
: one of the metal objects attached to the heel and sole of a shoe (as a baseball shoe) to prevent slipping
2spike
verb
spikedspik·ing
Definition of SPIKE for Kids
1
: to fasten with large nails
2
: to pierce or cut with or on a large nail
3
: to hit or throw (a ball) sharply downward
4
: to add alcohol or drugs to
3spike
noun
Definition of SPIKE for Kids
1
: a tight mass of grain <spikes of wheat>
2
: a long usually rather narrow flower cluster in which the blossoms grow very close to a central stem
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