Definition of spike - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
toolssharp pointed object used for piercing
- He hammered the spike into the ground..
2.
statisticssudden increase or peak
- There was a spike in electricity usage last night.
3.
court playvolleyball move to hit the ball downwards
- She executed a perfect spike during the match.
4.
track gearRare type of running shoe with metal pointsRare
- She wore spikes for the track event.
5.
agricultureRare UK ear of grain or cornRare UK
- The farmer harvested the spikes of wheat.
6.
technologyTECH. US small software project for explorationTECH. US
- The team worked on a spike to test the new feature.
Verb
1.
businessintr. increase sharplyintr.
- The prices spiked after the announcement.
2.
drinkstr. add alcohol or a drug to a drinktr.
- Someone spiked her punch at the party.
3.
constructiontr. fasten with long, large nailstr.
- They spiked the wooden beams together.
4.
sportstr. hit a ball forcefully downwardstr.
- He spiked the volleyball over the net.
5.
piercingtr. Rare pierce with a sharp stake or pointtr. Rare
- They spiked the fence for security.
6.
journalismtr. Rare UK discard or reject a news storytr. Rare UK
- The editor decided to spike the controversial article.
Images of spike

sharp pointed object used for piercing 
type of running shoe with metal points 
ear of grain or corn
Expressions with spike
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
increase sharply in amount or intensity
The temperature is expected to spike up tomorrow.
stop a news story from being published
The editor decided to spike the story after new evidence emerged.
secretly add a substance to someone's drink
He tried to spike her drink at the party.
add alcohol to a punch
He decided to spike the punch at the party.
stop a news story from being published
The editor decided to spike a story about the scandal.
undergo a sudden sharp rise in body temperature
After the vaccine, he spiked a temperature.
very tall narrow heel on a shoe
She wore elegant shoes with a spike heel.
secretly put alcohol or drugs into a drink
Someone tried to spike a drink at the party.
device with spikes to stop vehicles
The police used a spike strip to stop the car.
lavender plant with pale purple flowers yielding essential oil
Spike lavender is used to make essential oils.
large nail fixing railway line to sleeper
The workers hammered the railroad spike into the sleeper.
remove or eliminate completely
They spiked out the errors from the report.
sudden sharp jump in the cost of a product or asset
A surprise report caused a price spike in oil futures today.
sudden increase in electrical voltage in a circuit
The device was damaged by a voltage spike.
protein on the surface of a virus
The spike protein helps the virus enter human cells.
small evergreen shrub with stiff stems and bell-shaped flowers
Spike heath adds color to the garden with its flowers.
pale yellow oil from spike lavender used in scents and soaps
Spike oil is often added to handmade soaps.
plant of the genus Eleocharis in wetlands
Spike rush grows abundantly in the marsh.
prevent someone from carrying out plans
The sudden rain spiked their guns for the outdoor event.
make cannons or guns unusable by blocking them
The soldiers were ordered to spike the guns before retreating.
Origin of spike
Old Norse, spik (point)
Terms with spike included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
construction
fasten something using a metal spike
weaponry
medieval weapon with a hammer head and spike
spike drink
add a small amount of alcohol or drugs to
music
adjustable metal spike supporting a cello or bass
office
sharp spike for holding papers
historical weapon
long-handled battle axe with blade and spike
climbing
wide metal spike used in climbing
equipment
iron spike for climbing on ice
botany
sharp spike on a plant like roses
plant
type of fern with a spike resembling a snake's tongue
elephant tool
metal tool with a hook or spike for controlling elephants
footwear
spike on a boot sole to prevent slipping
logging tool
stout lever with a sharp spike for handling logs
ice climbing
iron spike on shoes to prevent slipping on ice
technology
sudden spike in emails causing network congestion
aquatic plant
fine-leaved aquatic spike rush used in aquariums
weaponry
long pole weapon with an axe blade and spike
weapons
pole weapon with axe blade and spike
technology
transient voltage spike passing through a power unit
logging tool
tool with a spike and hook for handling logs
tools
logging tool with a spike and hook for handling logs
tools
tool with a curved spike for logging
weapon
spike bayonet used as a weapon
mountaineering
spike with a hole for securing a rope
Examples of spike in a sentence
The fence was topped with a sharp spike. The data showed a spike in sales during the holiday season. Experts noticed a spike in online activity after the announcement. The spike won them the final point. Her spike was the highlight of the game. The athlete's spikes were brand new.
He forgot his spikes for the race. The spikes of barley were ready for harvest. He examined the spikes of corn in the field. They created a spike to explore potential solutions. A spike was necessary to understand the integration challenges. Interest rates spiked unexpectedly last quarter. The demand for masks spiked during the pandemic. He spiked the drink without anyone noticing. The bartender refused to spike the cocktail. The workers spiked the metal sheets to the frame. He spiked the fence posts into the ground. She spiked the ball with incredible force. The player spiked it straight into the opponent's court. He spiked the balloon with a needle. The chef spiked the meat with a skewer for roasting. The journalist was disappointed when her story was spiked. Due to lack of evidence, the report was spiked by the editor.
View all translations of spike
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:pointe, flamber, ...
- German:Dorn, ansteigen, ...
- Italian:chiodo, aumentare bruscamente, ...
- Spanish:clavo, aumentar, ...
- Portuguese:prego grande, disparar, ...
- Chinese:尖刺, 猛涨, ...
- Japanese:鋭い物, 急上昇する, ...
- Arabic:مِسْمَار, ارْتَفَعَ, ...
- Hebrew:יָתֵד, לְזַנֵּק, ...
- Russian:шип, взлетать, ...
- Ukrainian:цвях, різко зростати, ...
- Hindi:कील, तेजी से बढ़ना, ...

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