pike

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English pīc pickax Date: 13th century 1. pikestaff 1 2. a sharp point or spike; also the tip of a spear • piked adjective II. noun Etymology: Middle English, perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian dialect pīk pointed mountain Date: 13th century dialect England a mountain or hill having a peaked summit — used especially in place names III. noun (plural pike or pikes) Etymology: Middle English, from 1pike Date: 14th century 1. a. a large elongate long-snouted freshwater bony fish (Esox lucius) valued for food and sport and widely distributed in cooler parts of the northern hemisphere — called also northern, northern pike b. any of various fishes (family Esocidae) related to the pike: as (1) muskellunge (2) pickerel 2. any of various fishes resembling the pike in appearance or habits IV. noun Etymology: Middle French pique, from piquer to prick, from Vulgar Latin *piccare, perhaps from Latin picus woodpecker — more at pie Date: circa 1511 a heavy spear with a very long shaft used by infantry especially in Europe from the Middle Ages to the 18th century V. transitive verb (piked; piking) Date: 1798 to pierce, kill, or wound with a pike VI. intransitive verb (piked; piking) Etymology: Middle English pyken (reflexive) Date: 1526 1. to leave abruptly <

get lonely and sore, and pike out — Sinclair Lewis

> 2. to make one's way <

pike along

> VII. noun Date: 1812 1. turnpike 2. a railroad or railroad line or system VIII. noun Etymology: perhaps from 3pike Date: 1928 a body position (as in diving) in which the hips are bent, the knees are straight, and the hands touch the toes or clasp the legs behind or just above the knees