Spire (?), v. i. [L. spirare to breathe. See Spirit.]

To breathe.

[Obs.]

Shenstone.

 

© Webster 1913.


Spire, n. [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

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.

 

© Webster 1913.


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

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.

 

© Webster 1913.


Spire, n. [L. spira coil, twist; akin to Gr. : cf. F. spire.]

1.

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

Dryden.

2. Geom.

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.

 

© Webster 1913.

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