Link Centre Dictionary

spear

UK/spɪə̯(ɹ)/ US/spɪɹ/ fairly common
verb (2) noun (2)

verb

1.

pierce with a spear

  • “spear fish”
2.

thrust up like a spear

  • “The branch speared up into the air”
Synonyms

noun

1.

a long pointed rod used as a weapon

Synonyms
2.

an implement with a shaft and barbed point used for catching fish

Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English spere, sperre, spear, from Old English spere, from Proto-West Germanic *speru, from Proto-Germanic *speru, from Proto-Indo-European *sperH-. Cognates See also West Frisian spear, Dutch speer, German Speer, Old Norse spjǫr, *sparrô, Middle Dutch sparre (“rafter”), Old Norse sparri (“spar, rafter”), sperra (“rafter, beam”); also Latin sparus (“short spear”), Albanian ferrë (“thorn, thornbush”).

Phrases

  • bear spear
  • fire spear
  • Ithuriel's spear
  • king's spear
  • ox tongue spear
  • riding spear
  • spear biscuits
  • spear carrier
  • spear side

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

Parts

Part of

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.