spiling

[ spahy-ling ]

/ ˈspaɪ lɪŋ /

noun

a group or mass of piles; spiles.

Words nearby spiling

spikelet, spikenard, spiker, spiky, spile, spiling, spill, spill over, spill the beans, spillage, spillane

Origin of spiling

First recorded in 1835–45; spile¹ + -ing¹

Definition for spiling (2 of 3)

spile¹

[ spahyl ]

/ spaɪl /

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.

Origin of spile

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

Definition for spiling (3 of 3)

spile²

[ spahyl ]

/ spaɪl /

Dialect

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

spoil.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for spiling

I rushed forrard, and raised her to my arms: spiling thereby a new weskit and a pair of crimson smalcloes.
Memoirs of Mr. Charles J. Yellowplush|William Makepeace Thackeray
With a bound, Willy Horse cleared the spiling and leaped to the river bed to finish his victim.
Grace Harlowe's Overland Riders in the Great North Woods|Jessie Graham Flower
Is about this here "spiling the River" which snarlers set down to our sort.
Punch, or The London Charivari, Vol. 101, August 15, 1891|Various
The ship passed between the long rows of spiling with nice judgment.
The Best Short Stories of 1919|Various

Then he took a few turns with the other end about a spiling, and held hard.
Jack Harvey's Adventures|Ruel Perley Smith

British Dictionary definitions for spiling

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