spile

[ spahyl ]

/ spaɪl /

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See synonyms for spile on Thesaurus.com

noun

a peg or plug of wood, especially one used as a spigot.

a spout for conducting sap from the sugar maple.

a heavy wooden stake or pile.

Mining. forepole.

verb (used with object), spiled, spil·ing.

to stop up (a hole) with a spile or peg.

to furnish with a spigot or spout, as for drawing off a liquid.

to tap by means of a spile.

to furnish, strengthen, or support with spiles or piles.

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Origin of spile

1505–15; <Middle Dutch or Middle Low German spile splinter, peg; cognate with German Speil

Words nearby spile

spikenard, spiker, spike-rush, spike-tooth harrow, spiky, spile, spiling, spill, spillage, Spillane, spillikin

Other definitions for spile (2 of 2)

spile²

[ spahyl ]

/ spaɪl /

Dialect

verb (used with or without object), noun spiled, spil·ing,

spoil.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use spile in a sentence

If you can’t find a supplier for spiles, use whatever you have.
Make your own maple syrup without harming the trees|By Tim MacWelch/Outdoor Life|February 7, 2021|Popular-Science
Once you’ve drilled your hole, you can hammer in a spile and hang a bucket or jug on it to collect the sap.
Make your own maple syrup without harming the trees|By Tim MacWelch/Outdoor Life|February 7, 2021|Popular-Science
Mo' lak spile chillen, that dun had ther way so long they cuden' give in, speshly your par.
That Old-Time Child, Roberta|Sophie Fox Sea
You see the Elmwood parson takes all our eggs, and wife thinks 'twouldn't do to spile a payin' customer.
The Incendiary|W. A. (William Augustine) Leahy

Youll spile usbut I know a lot o folks that might learn manners from you two boys.
Erskine Dale--Pioneer|John Fox
An' don't you spile it in the cooking or I'll use the gad on you; an' if you holler or cut that cord I'll kill ye.
Two Little Savages|Ernest Thompson Seton
He did this on each spile, and they put the whole pot into the water.
The Spell of the White Sturgeon|James Arthur Kjelgaard

British Dictionary definitions for spile

spile

/ (spaɪl) /

noun

a heavy timber stake or pile

US and Canadian a spout for tapping sap from the sugar maple tree

a plug or spigot

verb (tr)

to provide or support with a spile

US to tap (a tree) with a spile

Northern English dialect a splinter

Word Origin for spile

C16: probably from Middle Dutch spile peg; related to Icelandic spila skewer, Latin spīna thorn

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

spile

Origin of spile

Words nearby spile

Other definitions for spile (2 of 2)

Words related to spile

How to use spile in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for spile

Word Origin for spile