spike JUST WRITTEN FOR YOU
/spaɪk/ · spike
noun
- In a violin-family instrument, the carved wooden plug which sits in the bottom block of the instrument. The luthier carefully fitted the spike into the cello's bottom block.
- The spike of a cello or double bass that makes contact with the floor and supports the weight of the instrument. The musician placed the cello on the floor, resting its spike on the hardwood.
- A sort of very large nail. The carpenter hammered the spike into the wooden beam.
- A piece of pointed metal etc. set with points upward or outward. The trap was lined with spikes to prevent escape.
- Anything resembling such a nail in shape. The catkin resembled a spike, with its pointed, branching structure.
verb
- To fasten with spikes, or long, large nails. The worker spiked down the planks to secure the floor.
- To set or furnish with spikes. The manufacturer spiked the product with metal points.
- To embed nails into (a tree) so that any attempt to cut it down will damage equipment or injure people. The forester spiked the tree to prevent it from being cut down without permission.
Did you know? The term 'spike' is also used in sports, particularly in hockey and basketball, to describe a sudden increase in scoring, often due to a single player's exceptional performance.