| Pronunciation: | | spIr
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| Matching Terms: | | spirable, spiracle, spiracular, spiraea, spiraea prunifolia, spiraeic, spiral, spiral bandage, spiral ct scan, spiral galaxy, spiral model, spiral nebula, spiral ratchet screwdriver, spiral spring, spiraling, spirality, spiralling, spirally, spiralozooid, spirant, spiranthes, spiranthes cernua, spiranthes porrifolia, spiranthes romanzoffiana, spiranthes spiralis, spiranthy, spiration, spirea, spired, spiricle, spirifer, spirilla, spirillaceae, spirillum, spirillum fever, spirillum minus, spiring, spirit, spirit away, spirit gum, spirit lamp, spirit level, spirit of turpentine, spirit off, spirit possession, spirit rapper, spirit rapping, spirit stove, spirit up, spirit world, spirit, holy, spiritally, spirited, spiritedly, spiritedness, spiritful, spiritielle, spiritise, spiritism, spiritist, spiritize, spiritless, spiritlessness, spiritoso, spiritous, spiritousness, spirits, spirits of ammonia, spirits of wine, spiritual, spiritual being, spiritual bouquet, spiritual jewel, spiritual leader, spiritual rebirth, spiritual world, spiritualisation, spiritualise, spiritualism, spiritualist, spiritualistic, spirituality, spiritualization, spiritualize, spiritualizer, spiritually, spiritual-minded, spiritualness, spiritualty, spirituosity, spirituous, spirituousness, spiritus, spirketing, spirling, spirobacteria, spirochaeta, spirochaetaceae, spirochaetales, spirochaete, spirochetal jaundice, spirochete, spirodela, spirodela polyrrhiza, spirogram, spirograph, spirogyra, spirometer, spirometery, spirometry, spironolactone, spiroscope, spiroylic, spirt, spirtle, spirula, spirula peronii, spirulate, spirulidae, spiry
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 WordNet Dictionary |
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| | Definition: | | [n] a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building (usually a church or temple) and that tapers to a point at the top |
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| | Synonyms: | | steeple |
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| | See Also: | | pinnacle, tower |
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| Webster's 1913 Dictionary |
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| | Definition: | |
\Spire\, v. i. [L. spirare to breathe. See {Spirit}.]
To breathe. [Obs.] --Shenstone.
\Spire\, n. [OE. spire, spir, a blade of grass, a young
shoot, AS. sp[=i]r; akin to G. spier a blade of grass, Dan.
spire a sprout, sprig, Sw. spira a spar, Icel. sp[=i]ra.]
1. A slender stalk or blade in vegetation; as, a spire grass
or of wheat.
An oak cometh up a little spire. --Chaucer.
2. A tapering body that shoots up or out to a point in a
conical or pyramidal form. Specifically (Arch.), the roof
of a tower when of a pyramidal form and high in proportion
to its width; also, the pyramidal or aspiring termination
of a tower which can not be said to have a roof, such as
that of Strasburg cathedral; the tapering part of a
steeple, or the steeple itself. ``With glistering spires
and pinnacles adorned.'' --Milton.
A spire of land that stand apart, Cleft from the
main. --Tennyson.
Tall spire from which the sound of cheerful bells
Just undulates upon the listening ear. --Cowper.
3. (Mining) A tube or fuse for communicating fire to the
chargen in blasting.
4. The top, or uppermost point, of anything; the summit.
The spire and top of praises. --Shak.
\Spire\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Spired}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Spiring}.]
To shoot forth, or up in, or as if in, a spire. --Emerson.
It is not so apt to spire up as the other sorts, being
more inclined to branch into arms. --Mortimer.
\Spire\, n. [L. spira coil, twist; akin to Gr. ???: cf. F.
spire.]
1. A spiral; a curl; a whorl; a twist. --Dryden.
2. (Geom.) The part of a spiral generated in one revolution
of the straight line about the pole. See {Spiral}, n.
{Spire bearer}. (Paleon.) Same as {Spirifer}.
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