Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or bronze. The most common design for hunting or combat spears since ancient times has incorporated a metal spearhead shaped like a triangle, lozenge, or leaf. The heads of fishing spears usually feature barbs or serrated edges.
The word spear comes from the Old English spere, from the Proto-Germanic speri, from a Proto-Indo-European root *sper- “spear, pole”. Spears can be divided into two broad categories: those designed for thrusting in melee combat and those designed for throwing (usually referred to as javelins).
The spear has been used throughout human history both as a hunting and fishing tool and as a weapon. Along with the axe, knife and club, it is one of the earliest and most important tools developed by early humans. As a weapon, it may be wielded with either one hand or two. It was used in virtually every conflict up until the modern era, where even then it continues on in the form of the bayonet, and is probably the most commonly used weapon in history.
Pike (noun)
A very long spear used two-handed by soldiers for thrusting (not throwing), both for attacks on assaults.
Pike (noun)
A sharp point, such as that of the weapon.
Pike (noun)
A large dry]] before adding to a haystack.
Pike (noun)
Any fish of the genus Esox, especially the northern pike, Esox lucius.
Pike (noun)
A position with the knees straight and a bend at the hips with the folded over the legs, usually part of a jack-knife. from 1920s
Pike (noun)
A pointy extrusion at the toe of a shoe.
Pike (noun)
Especially in place names: a peak or summit.
“Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England.”
Pike (noun)
A pick, a pickaxe.
Pike (noun)
A hayfork.
Pike (noun)
A penis.
Pike (noun)
A gypsy, itinerant tramp, or traveller from any ethnic background; a pikey.
Pike (verb)
To prod, attack, or pike.
Pike (verb)
To assume a pike position.
Pike (verb)
To bet or gamble with only small amounts of money.
Pike (verb)
Often followed by on or out: to quit or promise.
“Don’t pike on me like you did last time!”
Pike (verb)
To equip with a turnpike.
Pike (verb)
To travel (as if by a turnpike), especially to flee, to run away.
Spear (noun)
A long stick with a sharp tip used as a weapon for throwing or thrusting, or anything used to make a thrusting motion.
Spear (noun)
A soldier armed with such a weapon; a spearman.
Spear (noun)
A lance with barbed prongs, used by fishermen to retrieve fish.
Spear (noun)
An illegal maneuver using the end of a hockey stick to strike into another hockey player.
Spear (noun)
In professional wrestling, a running tackle in which the wrestler’s shoulder is driven into the opponent’s midsection.
Spear (noun)
A shoot, as of grass; a spire.
Spear (noun)
The feather of a horse.
Spear (noun)
The rod to which the bucket, or plunger, of a pump is attached; a pump rod.
Spear (noun)
A long, thin strip from a vegetable.
“asparagus and broccoli spears”
Spear (verb)
To penetrate or strike with, or as if with, any long narrow object. To make a thrusting motion that catches an object on the tip of a long device.
Spear (verb)
To shoot into a long stem, as some plants do.
Spear (adjective)
Male
“a spear counterpart”
Spear (adjective)
Pertaining to male family members
“the spear side of the family”
Spear (noun)
a weapon with a pointed tip, typically of steel, and a long shaft, used for thrusting or throwing.
Spear (noun)
an instrument with a long shaft and a barbed tip used for catching fish.
Spear (noun)
a spearman.
Spear (noun)
a plant shoot, especially a pointed stem of asparagus or broccoli
“smoked salmon wrapped around asparagus spears”
Spear (verb)
pierce or strike with a spear or other pointed object
“she speared her last chip with her fork”