▪ I. ˈspiking, n. Obs. exc. dial.
Forms: 3–5 spikyng(e, 4–6 spykyng(e, 5 spykhyng), 4–6, 9 spiking, 5–7, 9 spikin, 6 spikene, 9 spiken, speken, -in, specking.
[prob. a MDu. spiking, synonymous with spiker (see spike n.2) or denoting some variety of this.]
A spike-nail.
| 1261 in Rep. Comm. Pub. Rec. Irel. (1815) Pl. ii, In fabricacione..ij malliorum et xx. spikyngorum, de mediocri forma. 1307–8 MS. Acc. Exch. K.R. Bdle. 14 No. 14 (P.R.O.), In .iij. C. de magnis Spykinges emptis,...iiij.s. 1354 Mem. Ripon (Surtees) III. 96 Et de M{supl} DC de spykinges grossis emp. ut infra pro coopertura ejusdem domus. 1399 Ibid. 133 Et in j mille de midelspykyng, iis. iid. 1408 Ibid. 139 Item et in iij m{supl} dubylspykyng. 1484 Churchw. Acc. Wigtoft, Linc. (Nichols, 1797) 80 Paid for grete spikyngs to all the trestles of all the Belles. 1527–8 Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1905) 344 Paid for a hillett & a plate & spikinges for the Southe churchdur. 1586 Shuttleworths' Acc. (Chetham Soc.) 27 For dubblye and singley spikenes, ij{supd}. 1603 Ibid. 151 Duble spykinges,..iijs;..single spykinges,..xij{supd}. 1647 J. Carter Nail & Wheel 27 There are a sort of nails (spikins I think they call them) they want heads: and so whatsoever is hang'd upon them slips of. a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Spikin, Spekin, a large nail with a round flat head. 1828 Carr Craven Gloss., Spiking, a long nail without a head. |
So † spiking-nail. Obs.
| 1311–2 in J. R. Boyle Hedon (1895) App. 13 Spyky[n]gnayl et lignis pro barris. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 469/1 Spykynge nayle. 1497 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. I. 350 For ij{supc} spikin nalis. |
▪ II. ˈspiking, vbl. n.
[f. spike v.1]
1. The action of fastening or piercing with a spike or spikes.
| 1775 in Ash. 1887 19th Cent. Aug. 176 The spiking and subsequent death of John M. |
2. spiking crib or spiking curb: (see later quots.).
| 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 972 In this operation, three kinds of cribs are employed; called wedging, spiking, and main cribs. Ibid. 973 The next operation is to fix spiking cribs..to the rock. 1867 W. W. Smyth Coal & Coal-mining 114 Lighter rings of wood, the spiking curbs, were then placed at intervals of 18 inches to 3 feet, according to the pressure. 1883 Gresley Gloss. Coal-m. 230 Spiking Curbs, light rings of wood to which planks are spiked{ddd}when plank tubbing is used in sinking through water-bearing ground. |
3. The action of adding a spike (spike n.2 2 f (b)).
| 1962 Newnes Conc. Encycl. Nucl. Energy 772/2 Spiking was first carried out in the nrx reactor in 1951. 1974 Sci. Amer. Feb. 121/1 The use of isotope-spiking and mass spectrometry. 1979 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Shell Internat. Petroleum Co.) 4 In some instances LPG can also be transported by ‘spiking’—that is, enriching crude oil with small quantities of LPG. |
▪ III. ˈspiking, ppl. a.
[f. spike v.1]
1. spiking party, a small body of men told off, or sent out, to spike guns.
| 1884 Milit. Engineer. I. ii. 111 The artillery or spiking party will be from 4 or 5 to 40 or 50 men. 1891 Pall Mall G. 22 Oct. 6/2 General Davis, when a captain, headed the spiking party in the attack on the Redan. |
2. Presenting the appearance of spikes; suddenly rising and falling.
| 1897 Allbutt's Syst. Med. II. 360 The range of temperature may be moderate—not exceeding 103°—or irregular with ‘spiking’ readings. |