Part 647

Spike grass (Bot.), either of two tall perennial American grasses (Uniola paniculata, and U. latifolia) having broad leaves and large flattened spikelets. -- Spike rush. (Bot.) See under Rush. -- Spike shell (Zoöl.), any pteropod of the genus Styliola having a slender conical shell. -- Spike team, three horses, or a horse and a yoke of oxen, harnessed together, a horse leading the oxen or the span. [U.S.]

Spike, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spiked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Spiking.] 1. To fasten with spikes, or long, large nails; as, to spike down planks.

2. To set or furnish with spikes.

3. To fix on a spike. [R.] Young.

4. To stop the vent of (a gun or cannon) by driving a spike nail, or the like into it.

Spike, n. [Cf. G. spieke, L. spica an ear of grain. See Spikenard.] (Bot.) Spike lavender. See Lavender.

Oil of spike (Chem.), a colorless or yellowish aromatic oil extracted from the European broad-leaved lavender, or aspic (Lavendula Spica), used in artist's varnish and in veterinary medicine. It is often adulterated with oil of turpentine, which it much resembles.

Spike"bill` (?), n. (Zoöl.) (a) The hooded merganser. (b) The marbled godwit (Limosa fedoa).

Spiked (?), a. Furnished or set with spikes, as corn; fastened with spikes; stopped with spikes.

A youth, leaping over the spiked pales, . . . was caught by those spikes.

Wiseman.

Spike"fish` (?), n. (Zoöl.) See Sailfish (a)

Spike"let (?), n. (Bot.) A small or secondary spike; especially, one of the ultimate parts of the in florescence of grasses. See Illust. of Quaking grass.

Spike"nard (?), n.[For spiked nard; cf. G. spieknarde, NL. spica nardi. See Spike an ear, and Nard.] 1. (Bot.) An aromatic plant. In the United States it is the Aralia racemosa, often called spignet, and used as a medicine. The spikenard of the ancients is the Nardostachys Jatamansi, a native of the Himalayan region. From its blackish roots a perfume for the hair is still prepared in India.

2. A fragrant essential oil, as that from the Nardostachys Jatamansi.

Spike"tail` (?), n. (Zoöl.) The pintail duck. [Local, U.S.]

Spik"y (?), a. 1. Like a spike; spikelike.

These spiky, vivid outbursts of metallic vapors.

C. A. Young.

2. Having a sharp point, or sharp points; furnished or armed with spikes.

Or by the spiky harrow cleared away.

Dyer.

The spiky wheels through heaps of carnage tore.

Pope.

Spile (?), n. [Cf. LG. spile, dial. G. speil, speiler, D. spijl. √170.] 1. A small plug or wooden pin, used to stop a vent, as in a cask.

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2. A small tube or spout inserted in a tree for conducting sap, as from a sugar maple.

3. A large stake driven into the ground as a support for some superstructure; a pile.