spear

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /spɪɹ/ UK /spɪə̯(ɹ)/ See IPA manual

Homophones

speer /spɪɹ/

Freq #7875

Meanings

1

verb
pierce with a spear

Spear fish.
2

verb
thrust up like a spear

The branch speared up into the air.
3

noun
A long stick with a sharp tip used as a weapon for throwing or thrusting, or anything used to make a thrusting motion.

It's not like you killed someone It's not like you drove a spiteful spear into his side Talk to Jesus Christ as if he knows the reasons why He did it all for you.
4

noun
A soldier armed with such a weapon; a spearman.

Now toil'd the Bruce, the battle done , To use his conquest boldly won; And gave command for horse and spear To press the Southron's scatter'd rear.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · thrust up like a spear spear up

Opposites

distaff

Word family

Forms spearmanspearmenspears

Derived forms boar-speareelspearfishspearpolespearspear-carrierspear-chuckerspear-pennyspear-ribspearablespearbushspearcastspearcaster

Related forms assagaiassagaieassagayassegaiassegayatlatlazagaiabayonet harpoonhassagayhassaguayjavelin

Etymology

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”).

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# spear

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /spɪɹ/
**IPA (UK):** /spɪə̯(ɹ)/
**Frequency rank:** 7875

## Meanings
1. pierce with a spear
2. thrust up like a spear
3. A long stick with a sharp tip used as a weapon for throwing or thrusting, or anything used to make a thrusting motion.
4. A soldier armed with such a weapon; a spearman.

## Examples
- Spear fish.
- The branch speared up into the air.
- It's not like you killed someone It's not like you drove a spiteful spear into his side Talk to Jesus Christ as if he knows the reasons why He did it all for you.
- Now toil'd the Bruce, the battle done , To use his conquest boldly won; And gave command for horse and spear To press the Southron's scatter'd rear.

## Antonyms
- distaff

## Derived Forms
- boar-spear
- eelspear
- fishspear
- polespear
- spear-carrier
- spear-chucker
- spear-penny
- spear-rib
- spearable
- spearbush
- spearcast
- spearcaster

## Related Forms
- assagai
- assagaie
- assagay
- assegai
- assegay
- atlatl
- azagaia
- bayonet
- harpoon
- hassagay
- hassaguay
- javelin

## Etymology
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”).

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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