spear

¹ American  

[speer] / spɪər /

noun

1. a long, stabbing weapon for thrusting or throwing, consisting of a wooden shaft to which a sharp-pointed head, as of iron or steel, is attached.

2. a soldier or other person armed with such a weapon; spearman.

   an army of 40,000 spears.

3. a similar weapon or stabbing implement, as one for use in fishing.

4. the act of spearing.

---

adjective

1. spear side.

verb (used with object)

1. to pierce with or as with a spear.

verb (used without object)

1. to go or penetrate like a spear.

   The plane speared through the clouds.

spear ² American  

[speer] / spɪər /

noun

1. a sprout or shoot of a plant, as a blade of grass or an acrospire of grain.

---

verb (used without object)

1. to sprout; shoot; send up or rise in a spear or spears.

spear ¹ British  

/ spɪə /

noun

1. a weapon consisting of a long shaft with a sharp pointed end of metal, stone, or wood that may be thrown or thrust

2. a similar implement used to catch fish

3. another name for spearman

---

verb

1. to pierce (something) with or as if with a spear

spear ² British  

/ spɪə /

noun

1. a shoot, slender stalk, or blade, as of grass, asparagus, or broccoli

---

Other Word Forms

• spearer noun

Etymology

Origin of spear¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun spere, sper(re), Old English spere; cognate with Dutch, German speer

Origin of spear²

First recorded in 1640–50; variant of spire ¹, perhaps influenced by spear ¹

Example Sentences

"Above the legs there was a sea of heads in helmets, and every one with one arm up, holding some sort of weapon, mainly spears of all different colours," she says.

From BBC

That energy, you know, climbing up the tower, putting the spear up there.

From Los Angeles Times

She speared another pancake and put it on her plate.

From Literature

Lady Constance watched in a daze as her husband speared another drumstick from the platter.

From Literature

He represents something between the pointy end of the spear and City’s personal nuclear warhead.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bayonet
• blade
• dart
• harpoon
• skewer