spear

¹

[ speer ]

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 ( def ).

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

[ speer ]

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

/ 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. See spearman
   another name for spearman

verb

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

spear

²

/ spɪə /

noun

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

Derived Forms

• ˈspearer, noun

Other Words From

• spearer noun

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of spear¹

Old English spere; related to Old Norse spjör spears, Greek sparos gilthead

Origin of spear²

C16: probably variant of spire ¹, influenced by spear ¹

Example Sentences

On a scorching day this August, Caleb Woodall wielded his shovel like a spear, stabbing it into the hardened crust of an asbestos-filled pit near Coalinga, California.

From MIT Technology Review

Scientists long believed that the ancients who lived 80,000 years ago were the first to throw spears with stone tips.

From Science News For Students

The first spear-throwers tossed their weapons 279,000 years ago — before modern humans existed.

From Science News For Students

It’s possible, he says, that bone points were attached to multi-pronged spears that were thrown or thrust at fish.

From Science News

Each of two newly analyzed specimens sports a toothy lower jaw and one giant spear jutting down from its top jaw.

From Science News For Students

In some versions of that story, the spear is the first weapon George tries.

From The Daily Beast

The earliest clear evidence of a human killed by a spear dates to roughly 100,000 years ago.

From The Daily Beast

And, as we all know, “this ‘war on Christmas’ is the tip of the spear in a larger battle to secularize our culture.”

From The Daily Beast

This could be the tip of the spear in a larger battle to Christianize Jewish culture.

From The Daily Beast

“I almost died twice today,” Shane exclaims, after beheading the snake with a pointed stick he whittled to a spear.

From The Daily Beast

This was no strange sight to the boy by that time, but it was awkward in the circumstances, for he had neither gun nor spear.

From Project Gutenberg

Mafuta immediately rushed at him with a spear, but was caught by the lion on the shoulder, and dragged down.

From Project Gutenberg

This last spear is propelled by a throwing-stick, which was also found lying by it.

From Project Gutenberg

There they waited to spear the reindeer, while others hid behind rocks near the entrance to drive the reindeer on.

From Project Gutenberg

When they worked in this way, they had no trouble in striking off flakes for spear points and knives.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bayonet
• blade
• dart
• harpoon
• skewer