spike

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: spire, spite, pike, spine, spoke, slike, spile, sike, swike, spake, spice

Antonyms: spire, spite, pike, spine, spoke, slike, spile, sike, swike, spake, spice

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

1. A sort of very large [[nail]].
2. A piece of pointed metal etc. set with points upward or outward.
3. {{lb|en|by extension}} Anything resembling such a nail in shape.
4. {{senseid|en|grain}} An [[ear]] of [[corn]] or [[grain]].
5. {{senseid|en|flower}}{{lb|en|botany}} A kind of [[inflorescence]] in which [[sessile]] [[flower]]s are arranged on an [[unbranched]] [[elongated]] [[axis]].
6. {{lb|en|informal|mostly|in the plural}} A [[running shoe]] with spikes in the [[sole]] to provide [[grip]].
7. A sharp peak in a [[graph]].
8. A [[surge]] in power or in the price of a commodity, etc.; any sudden and brief change that would be represented by a sharp peak on a graph.
9. The rod-like [[protrusion]] from a woman's [[high-heeled]] shoe that [[elevate]]s the heel.
10. A long nail for storing papers by skewering them; {{lb|en|by extension}} the metaphorical place where rejected newspaper articles are sent.
11. {{lb|en|volleyball}} An [[attack]] from, usually, above the height of the net performed with the intent to send the ball straight to the floor of the opponent or off the hands of the opposing block.
12. {{lb|en|zoology}} An [[adolescent]] male [[deer]].

Verb

1. To [[fasten]] with [[#Noun|spike]]s, or [[long]], [[large]] [[nail]]s.
2. To set or furnish with [[#Noun|spike]]s.
3. To embed [[nail]]s into (a tree) so that any attempt to cut it down will damage equipment or injure people.
4. To fix on a [[#Noun|spike]].
5. {{lb|en|figurative|journalism}} To [[discard]]; to decide not to publish or make public.
6. To increase sharply.
7. {{senseid|en|add alcohol or other drugs}} To add [[alcohol]] or a [[drug]] into a drink, especially if [[covert]]ly.
8. To add a small amount of one substance to another.
9. {{lb|en|volleyball}} To [[attack]] from, usually, above the height of the net with the intent to send the ball straight to the floor of the opponent or off the hands of the opposing [[block]].
10. {{lb|en|military}} To render (a gun) unusable by driving a metal spike into its [[touch hole]].
11. {{lb|en|American football|_|slang}} To slam the [[football]] to the ground, usually in celebration of scoring a [[touchdown]], or to stop expiring time on the game clock after snapping the ball as to save time for the losing team to attempt to score the tying or winning points.
12. {{lb|en|slang}} To inject a [[drug]] with a [[syringe]].

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.