Spikebill
(Spike"bill`) n. (Zoöl.) (a) The hooded merganser. (b) The marbled godwit (Limosa fedoa).
Spiked
(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. Spikefish
(Spike"fish`) n. (Zoöl.) See Sailfish (a)
Spikelet
(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.
Spikenard
(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.
Spiketail
(Spike"tail`) n. (Zoöl.) The pintail duck. [Local, U.S.]
Spiky
(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
(Spile) n. [Cf. LG. spile, dial. G. speil, speiler, D. spijl. &radic170.]
1. A small plug or wooden pin, used to stop a vent, as in a cask.
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.
Spile hole, a small air hole in a cask; a vent.
Spile
(Spile) v. t. To supply with a spile or a spigot; to make a small vent in, as a cask.
