spikes
spikes — noun
1. a narrow piece of hard material, such as metal, wood, or plastic, whose tip come
a narrow piece of hard material, such as metal, wood, or plastic, whose tip comes to a narrow point and which can pierce a surface or project outward from it
The old iron fence had sharp spikes along the top to stop people from climbing over it.
collocation: sharp spikes + fence/wall
Rachid carefully picked up the metal spike that had fallen off the construction site.
A row of spikes on the dinosaur model ran from its head all the way down its back.
The cactus had spikes so long and sharp that even the goats stayed away from it.
文法句型
spike + of + material
plural: spikes
用法筆記
Commonly used in the plural form 'spikes' when referring to a set or row of sharp points on a surface.
常見錯誤
2. footwear whose soles have small metal or hard plastic points that help the athle
footwear whose soles have small metal or hard plastic points that help the athlete keep a firm grip on grass or track surfaces; also used to mean the short pointed pieces fitted onto the soles of such shoes
The runner changed into her spikes just before the race began on the wet track.
usage: 'spikes' meaning the shoes themselves
Felipe bought a new pair of spikes for the baseball season because the old ones had worn smooth.
Athletes wear spikes only on the field or track, never on hard pavement, to protect the soles.
Saira forgot her spikes at home and had to borrow a pair from a teammate before the race.
Noor pulled on her spikes and jogged out to the starting line for the hundred-metre race.
The coach told the team to bring their spikes to every practice session on the grass field.
- cleats
similar shoes with studs; more common in football and rugby; 'cleats' often has wider studs while 'spikes' are shorter and sharper
文法句型
plural only: spikes
wear + spikes
pair of + spikes
用法筆記
Always used as a plural noun ('spikes'). When referring to a single shoe, say 'spike shoe' or name the specific piece ('one of the spikes'). The word can refer either to the pointed pieces on the sole or to the shoes that have them — context makes the meaning clear.
常見錯誤
3. a sudden large rise in the amount, level, or value of something, typically appea
a sudden large rise in the amount, level, or value of something, typically appearing as a sharp peak on a graph and often followed by a drop
There was a sharp spike in electricity demand during the winter storm.
grammar pattern: spike in [noun]
The company reported a spike in online orders after the advertisement went viral.
Doctors warned about a seasonal spike in flu cases every January and February.
The graph of the stock price showed a sudden spike followed by a slow return to normal levels.
- drop
a sudden fall in amount or level
文法句型
a spike + in + noun
spike + of + number
用法筆記
Often followed by 'in' (spike in prices, spike in cases). Usually describes something temporary — the spike goes up and then comes back down.
常見錯誤
4. a very brief but large increase in electrical voltage or current, often caused b
a very brief but large increase in electrical voltage or current, often caused by a fault or storm and capable of damaging equipment
A power spike during the thunderstorm damaged several computers in the office.
grammar pattern: power spike + cause + damage
Most modern buildings include surge protectors that cut the power when a voltage spike occurs.
The technician measured a brief current spike when the old motor was switched on.
Without a surge protector, a sudden spike in voltage can destroy the internal parts of a television.
- surge
a broader term for any sudden increase in electrical power, not necessarily brief
- power surge
more general; may last longer than a spike
文法句型
voltage + spike
power + spike
用法筆記
Commonly paired with 'voltage' or 'power'. 'Surge' is more general; 'spike' emphasises the sharpness and brief duration.
5. a long narrow group of small flowers or grain kernels growing closely together o
a long narrow group of small flowers or grain kernels growing closely together on a single upright stem, found on plants such as wheat, lavender, and certain ornamental grasses
The lavender plant produces tall purple spikes that bees love to visit in summer.
concrete example: lavender spikes
Wheat spikes bend under the weight of the ripening grains just before the harvest season.
Yuki planted ornamental grass whose feathery spikes swayed beautifully in the autumn wind.
Each spike on the rye plant held dozens of tiny seeds packed closely together along the stem.
- ear
used specifically for grain plants like wheat, barley, and corn
- inflorescence
the broader botanical term for any arrangement of flowers on a stem; more technical
文法句型
flower + spike
spike + of + plant
用法筆記
A technical botanical term. In everyday conversation, English speakers are more likely to say 'the flowers at the top of the stem' than call them a spike. The word appears most often in gardening guides and biology textbooks.
spikes — verb
- spikespresent simple I / you / we / they
- spikeses3rd person singular
- spikesing-ing form
- spikesedpast simple
1. to put alcohol into a drink without the drinker knowing, or to make something mo
to put alcohol into a drink without the drinker knowing, or to make something more lively or interesting by adding an unexpected element
Someone spiked the fruit punch with vodka at the office party while nobody was watching.
pattern: spike + drink + with + alcohol
Tamar spiked her hot chocolate with a little rum to warm herself up after the long walk home.
The chef spiked the sauce with chilli and ginger to give it an unexpected kick of flavour.
Sven spiked his speech with jokes and personal stories to keep the audience interested throughout.
文法句型
spike + drink/coffee/punch + with + alcohol
spiked + with + noun
用法筆記
When used literally (alcohol in a drink), 'spike' often has a negative or dangerous connotation if done secretly without consent. When used figuratively (spiking food with flavour, or a speech with humour), the connotation is positive — adding something exciting.
常見錯誤
2. to rise suddenly and steeply to a much higher level, often before falling back d
to rise suddenly and steeply to a much higher level, often before falling back down again
Temperatures in the city spiked to forty degrees during the extreme July heatwave.
pattern: [temperature/rate] + spike + to + [value]
The price of crude oil spiked sharply after news of the pipeline disruption reached traders.
Anjali's heart rate spiked when she heard the unexpected news about the job promotion.
Sales of air conditioners spike every July when the weather becomes extremely hot and humid.
- plummet
to fall steeply and quickly
文法句型
spike + to + number
spike + in + month/condition
spike + by + percentage
用法筆記
Unlike 'rise' or 'increase', 'spike' always implies a sudden, sharp movement — it is not used for gradual or steady increases. The increase is typically temporary.
常見錯誤
3. to push a sharp-pointed object into someone or something, piercing or impaling t
to push a sharp-pointed object into someone or something, piercing or impaling the surface
The gardener spiked his thumb on a hidden rose thorn while pulling out weeds.
pattern: spike + body part + on + sharp object
Mia spiked her palm on a shard of glass while trying to lift the old window frame.
The railway workers spiked the steel rails to the wooden sleepers using heavy hammers.
Anjali spiked the fence post deep into the soil with a heavy mallet until it stood firm.
The fence posts were spiked firmly into the frozen ground to hold them in place all winter.
文法句型
spike + object
spike + object + on + sharp object
spike + object + into + place
用法筆記
The core meaning involves piercing or impaling with a pointed object (e.g. 'spiked his thumb on a rose thorn'). This sense also covers the deliberate fastening of materials with large spikes, as in construction or railway work (e.g. 'spiked the rails to the sleepers'), though that usage is less common and mostly appears in specialised contexts.
常見錯誤
4. in the game of volleyball, to strike the ball with force so that it travels stee
in the game of volleyball, to strike the ball with force so that it travels steeply downward across the net into the opponents' area
Saira jumped high and spiked the volleyball straight down into the opponent's court.
grammar: spike + the ball + [direction/location]
The team's best hitter can spike the ball at speeds over eighty kilometres an hour.
Caleb practised his approach every day to learn how to spike more accurately during matches.
The setter passed the ball perfectly, allowing her teammate to spike it for the winning point.
- bump
to hit the ball gently upward using the forearms in volleyball
文法句型
spike + the ball
spike + over/across + the net
用法筆記
In volleyball, 'spike' is the standard term for an attacking hit. The noun form 'a spike' is also common (e.g., 'She has a powerful spike').
常見錯誤
❌ 'He spiked the ball into the net.' (when describing a mistake) — 'Spike' implies a hard downward hit that succeeds; a ball that hits the net is usually called a 'block' or 'error', not a spike.
5. to prevent a news story from appearing in a newspaper, magazine, or television b
to prevent a news story from appearing in a newspaper, magazine, or television broadcast, usually for editorial or political reasons
The newspaper's editor spiked the article about the mayor's financial problems at the last minute.
grammar pattern: editor + spikes + article
Kabir was frustrated when his investigation into the factory was spiked by his editor.
passive: was spiked by [editor]
The journalist suspected that her story was spiked because it criticised a major advertiser.
Several newspapers spiked reports about the protest after pressure from government officials.
- publish
to make a story available to the public
文法句型
spike + article/story
be spiked
get + past participle: spiked
用法筆記
Primarily a British English term used in journalism. The American equivalent is more commonly 'kill the story'. Often used in the passive voice because the writer is not the one who makes the decision.