Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Spire?

\Spire\, v. i. [L. spirare to breathe. See {Spirit}.] To breathe. [Obs.] --Shenstone.
\Spire\, n. [OE. spire, spir, a blade of grass, a young shoot, AS. sp[=i]r; akin to G. spier a blade of grass, Dan. spire a sprout, sprig, Sw. spira a spar, Icel. sp[=i]ra.] 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.
\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.
\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}.