Spikes

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. Sharp pointed projections that may be found on objects or surfaces ; sudden and brief rises in quantity or intensity ; shoes designed for sports with small spikes for traction
2. Pointed tips or protrusions used for defense or attachment ; abrupt and temporary surges in numbers or levels ; specialized footwear with metal studs for grip in athletics
3. Narrow, pointed extensions often used for protection or fastening ; quick and sharp upward shifts in data or conditions ; sports shoes fitted with spikes to improve running performance

Etymology: Spikes began as a Germanic word for a stick or splinter. Its ancestor, "*spīkō", meant a stick, splinter or point, and it passed into Middle English from Old Norse "spík", which meant a spike or sprig. Its relatives include Swedish "spik" and Dutch "spijker", both meaning nail, so the word has long been tied to pointed metal fastenings. The Latin "spīca", meaning an ear of corn, is also related, and it may have shaped some of the word's senses, though the link is not certain. The verb came later and was formed from the noun, so a spike was first a thing and only afterwards something one could do. The plural now covers three quite different ideas: the pointed tips of defensive barriers or plants, sudden jumps in numbers or levels, and the metal-studded shoes that give athletes grip on the track.

Synonyms: points, prongs, spikes

Antonyms: dips, declines