Category:Spire

Spire, v. i. Etym: [l. spirare to breathe. See spirit.]

Defn: to breathe. [obs.] Shenstone.

Spire Spire, n. Etym: [oe. spire, spir, a blade of grass, a young shoot, As. spir; akin to g. spier a blade of grass, dan. spire a sprout, Sprig, sw. spira a spar, icel. spira.]

1. A slender stalk or blade in vegetation; as, a spire grass or of Wheat. An oak cometh up a little spire. Chaucer.

2. A tapering body that shoots up or out to a point in a conical or Pyramidal form. Specifically (arch.), the roof of a tower when of a Pyramidal form and high in proportion to its width; also, the Pyramidal or aspiring termination of a tower which can not be said to Have a roof, such as that of strasburg cathedral; the tapering part Of a steeple, or the steeple itself. "with glistering spires and Pinnacles adorned." Milton. A spire of land that stand apart, cleft from the main. Tennyson. Tall spire from which the sound of cheerful bells just undulates upon The listening ear. Cowper.

3. (mining)

Defn: a tube or fuse for communicating fire to the chargen in Blasting.

4. The top, or uppermost point, of anything; the summit. The spire and top of praises. Shak.

Spire Spire, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Spired; p. pr. & vb. n. Spiring.]

Defn: to shoot forth, or up in, or as if in, a spire. Emerson. It is not so apt to spire up as the other sorts, being more inclined To branch into arms. Mortimer.

Spire Spire, n. Etym: [l. spira coil, twist; akin to gr. spire.]

1. A spiral; a curl; a whorl; a twist. Dryden.

2. (geom.)

Defn: the part of a spiral generated in one revolution of the Straight line about the pole. See spiral, n. Spire bearer. (paleon.) Same as spirifer.