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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Spire \Spire\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Spired}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Spiring}.]
To shoot forth, or up in, or as if in, a spire. --Emerson.
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It is not so apt to spire up as the other sorts, being
more inclined to branch into arms. --Mortimer.
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Spire \Spire\, v. i. [L. spirare to breathe. See {Spirit}.]
To breathe. [Obs.] --Shenstone.
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Spire \Spire\, n. [OE. spire, spir, a blade of grass, a young
shoot, AS. sp[imac]r; akin to G. spier a blade of grass, Dan.
spire a sprout, sprig, Sw. spira a spar, Icel. sp[imac]ra.]
1. A slender stalk or blade in vegetation; as, a spire grass
or of wheat.
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An oak cometh up a little spire. --Chaucer.
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2. A tapering body that shoots up or out to a point in a
conical or pyramidal form. Specifically (Arch.), the roof
of a tower when of a pyramidal form and high in proportion
to its width; also, the pyramidal or aspiring termination
of a tower which can not be said to have a roof, such as
that of Strasburg cathedral; the tapering part of a
steeple, or the steeple itself. "With glistering spires
and pinnacles adorned." --Milton.
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A spire of land that stand apart,
Cleft from the main. --Tennyson.
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Tall spire from which the sound of cheerful bells
Just undulates upon the listening ear. --Cowper.
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3. (Mining) A tube or fuse for communicating fire to the
chargen in blasting.
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4. The top, or uppermost point, of anything; the summit.
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The spire and top of praises. --Shak.
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Spire \Spire\, n. [L. spira coil, twist; akin to Gr. ???: cf. F.
spire.]
1. A spiral; a curl; a whorl; a twist. --Dryden.
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2. (Geom.) The part of a spiral generated in one revolution
of the straight line about the pole. See {Spiral}, n.
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{Spire bearer}. (Paleon.) Same as {Spirifer}.
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