pike

UK/paɪk/

pike noun: a very long spear used two-handed by infantry soldiers for thrusting (not throwing), both for attacks on enemy foot soldiers and as a countermeasure against cavalry assaults. Also the clipping of turnpike.

Noun (1)

pike (plural pikes)

(historical) A very long spear used two-handed by infantry soldiers for thrusting (not throwing), both for attacks on enemy foot soldiers and as a countermeasure against cavalry assaults.
- An arme pike which a weake man maye use or handle very reddily with such force as a man will not thincke, and the same pike will also become a very good shotte at all tymes.c. 1558–1602, Ralph Rabbards, “[Letters on Scientific Subjects.] Ralph Rabbards to Queen Elizabeth. [MS. Lansd. No. 121. Art. 14.] A Coppie of Notes Delivered to Her Majestie by Raphe Rabbards.”, in...
- Wounded and overthrown, the Britons continued their resistance, clung round the legs of the Norman steeds, and cumbered their advance; while their brethren, thrusting with pikes, proved every joint and crevice of the plate and mail, or grappling with the men-at-arms, strove to pull them from their...1825 June 22, [Walter Scott], chapter IV, in Tales of the Crusaders. […], volume I (The Betrothed), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson...
A sharp, pointed staff or implement.
- Each had a ſmall ax in the ſurcingle of his ſaddle, and a pike about fourteen feet long, the weapon with which he charged; […]1790, James Bruce, chapter V, in Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, in the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773. In Five Volumes, volume IV, Edinburgh: Printed by J. Ruthven, for G....
- A few months after the murder of Don Carlos, the Counts de Horn and d'Egmonte, who had long been detained in prison, notwithstanding their innocence, were put to death by the cruel Alva in the market-place at Brussels, and the heads of these two patriotic martyrs were exposed upon pikes to the view...1855, Jules Raymond Lamé Fleury, “The Death of Don Carlos. From the Year 1567 to 1570.”, in M. C. T., transl., Historical Chapters Relating to Many Lands. Adapted for Children. Translated from the...
A large haycock (“conical stack of hay left in a field to dry before adding to a haystack”).
- On returning to the hayfield, "Where can Mr. Thorn be?" said Mrs. Merton: "I thought he was in the field." / Magenta and Solferino looked at each other; the haymakers had made a pike on top of the hay in which they had buried him. / "Mamma," said Solferino, "I believe he's under that pike!" / […]...1866, “Mixed Pickles. (A Sea-side Story.)”, in The Ladies’ Companion, and Monthly Magazine, volume XXIX (Second Series), London: Rogerson and Tuxford, […], →OCLC, page 44, column 1
Any carnivorous freshwater fish of the genus Esox, especially the northern pike, Esox lucius.
- And now they begin to catch the pikes, and will ſhortly the trouts (pox on theſe miniſters), and I would fain know whether the floods were ever ſo high as to get over the holly bank or the river walk; if ſo, then all my pikes are gone; but I hope not.1711 March 10, Jonathan Swift, J[ohn] Hawkesworth, “Letter LV”, in The Works of Jonathan Swift, D.D. Dean of St. Patrick’s, Dublin: […], new edition, volume XIII, London: Printed for Charles Elliot...
- Lord Erskine soon afterwards came to Brighton, and told Mrs. Coutts, if she would give him a dinner he would provide the fish from his own pond. She agreed; and his present proved to be an overgrown pike, weighing between thirty and forty pounds, and so hideous in its appearance that no guest...1839 November 2, “Memoirs of Harriot, Duchess of St. Albans. By Mrs. Cornwell Baron Wilson, Author of the ‘Life and Correspondence of M. G. Lewis.’ 2 vols. 12mo. London 1839. Colburn.”, in The...
Synonyms:

ged, northern pike
A position with the knees straight and a tight bend at the hips with the torso folded over the legs, usually part of a jack-knife.
- She sprang into the air and jack-knifed into a clumsy pike before following her hands into the water.2000, J[ames] G[raham] Ballard, Super-Cannes, London: Flamingo, →ISBN; republished London: Fourth Estate, 2011, →ISBN, page 167
- Guo and Wu took a big lead after the second dive, a back dive in pike position, which the judges awarded three perfect tens for synchronization.2008 August 10, “China Wins First Diving Medal at Beijing Olympics”, in The Sports Network, archived from the original on 28 Jul 2013
(dated) A pointy extrusion at the toe of a shoe.
- Thus the ſtatute of king Edward IV, which forbad the fine gentlemen of thoſe times (under the degree of a lord) to wear pikes upon their ſhoes or boots of more than two inches in length, was a law that ſavoured of oppreſſion; becauſe, however ridiculous the faſhion then in uſe might appear, the...1765, William Blackstone, “Of the Absolute Rights of Individuals”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book I (Of the Rights of Persons), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 122
- During the earlier part of this period, the long pike disappeared from the shoe, but in the later part it returned in greater longitude than ever. So highly valued indeed was this singular piece of extravagance […] that by a sumptuary statute of 1463, none but lords were allowed to wear shoes or...1861, Charles Macfarlane, Thomas Thomson, “History of Society. From the Accession of Henry IV. (A.D. 1399) to the Death of Richard III. (A.D. 1485).”, in Thomas Thomson, editor, The Comprehensive...
1. (dated, historical) A style of shoes with pikes, popular in Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries.
(Northern England) Especially in place names: a hill or mountain, particularly one with a sharp peak or summit.
- Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England.
- I will thrust my ſelfe into the ſtocks, vpon the pikes of the Land.1614 November 10 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), Benjamin Jonson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Bartholomew Fayre: A Comedie, […]”, in The Workes of Benjamin Jonson. The Second Volume. […] (Second...
(obsolete) A pick, a pickaxe.
- The pike axe, a single blade axe with a point on the back side of the head, was designed for forcible entry.2015, Joseph Klinoff, “Public Fire Protection”, in Introduction to Fire Protection and Emergency Services, 5th edition, Burlington, Mass.: Jones & Bartlett Learning, →ISBN, page 65
(UK, dialectal, obsolete) A hayfork.
- Short rakes for to gather vp barlie to binde, / and greater to rake vp such leauings behinde: / A rake for to hale vp the fitchis that lie, / A pike for to pike them vp handsom to drie.1878, Thomas Tusser, “A Digression to Husbandlie Furniture”, in Five Hundred Pointes of Good Husbandrie. […], London: Published for the English Dialect Society by Trübner & Co., […], →OCLC...
(euphemistic, obsolete, often) A penis.
- [F]or to ſerue brauely, is to come halting off, you know to come off the breach, with his pike bent brauely, and to ſurgerie brauely, to venture vpon the chargde chambers brauely.William Shakespeare (2016), James C. Bulman, editor, King Henry IV Part 2 (The Arden Shakespeare Third Series), London; New York, N.Y.: Bloomsbury Arden Shakespeare, Bloomsbury Publishing, published...
- [D]o I not ſtand, / Ready with my Pike to make my entry, / And are you come to man her?1607–1608, Lo[rding] Barry, Ram-Alley: Or Merrie-Trickes. A Comedy Diuers Times here-to-fore Acted by the Children of the Kings Reuels, London: Printed by G[eorge] Eld, for Robert Wilson, […]...

Verb (1)

pike (third-person singular simple present pikes, present participle piking, simple past and past participle piked)

(transitive) To prod, attack, or injure someone with a pike.
- Soon after the general marched from Kilcullen, the rebels plundered all the houſes of the proteſtants in it and its vicinity, and murdered ſuch of the inhabitants as could not make their eſcape. […] They piked out one eye of a Mrs. Burchell, aged ninety; they alſo aſſaſſinated ſome wounded ſoldiers...1801, Richard Musgrave, “The Breaking-out of the Rebellion”, in Memoirs of the Different Rebellions in Ireland, […], Dublin: Printed by Robert Marchbank, for John Milliken, […] and John Stockdale...
- They were armed with pikes, which were red with the blood of those they had just murdered. As Mr. Gurley was led toward them, they set up a shout: "O boys, here comes Gurley, the heretic. Pike him! pike him! pike the heretic dog!"1854, L[eonard] B. Gurley, chapter XV, in Memoir of Rev. William Gurley, Late of Milan, Ohio, […], Cincinnati, Oh.: Printed for the author, at the Methodist Book Concern […], →OCLC, page 178
(ambitransitive) To assume a pike position.
- In the early stages he can do this by bending at the elbows (no more than 90) as he pikes the legs and straightens the arms in co-ordination with the upward swing of the cast, so that the whole body is extended as he reaches handstand.1979, Peter Tatlow, editor, Gymnastics: All the Beauty and Skills of This Thrilling Sport, Auckland: McGraw-Hill, →ISBN
- At the front of her swing she pikes to wrap her legs under the low bar.1980, Karen Folger Jacobs, The Story of a Young Gymnast: Tracee Talavera, New York, N.Y.: Bantam Books, →ISBN, page 98
(intransitive) To bet or gamble with only small amounts of money.
- I put the temporary squinch on the rum bug when I got there and piked along at a ten-cent table with the last two dollars I had.1900, Clarence Louis Cullen, Tales of the Ex-tanks: A Book of Hard-luck Stories, New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap […], →OCLC, page 339
- Not that my wife is an inveterate gambler; as a matter of fact the poor kid hasn't any card sense at all and doesn't even care for it. She only piked along because I—I compelled her to.1920, Isabel Ostrander, “The Lure of Chance”, in How Many Cards?, New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, […], →OCLC, page 188
(Australia, New Zealand, intransitive, slang) Often followed by on or out: to quit or back out of a promise.
- Don’t pike on me like you did last time!
- —But [Albert] Camus piked out, said Carole. [Jean-Paul] Sartre and that lot got pissed off with him, he stood off from the war, he wouldn't oppose it.2002, Sylvia Lawson, How Simone de Beauvoir Died in Australia: Stories and Essays, Sydney, N.S.W.: UNSW Press, →ISBN, page 151

Noun (2)

pike (plural pikes)

(derogatory, ethnic, slang, slur) A gypsy, itinerant tramp, or traveller from any ethnic background; a pikey.
- The true "Pike," however, in the Californian sense of the word, is the wandering gypsy-like Southern poor white. […] "I found a Pike the other day killing and salting hogs, and actually hauling the salt pork off to sell it," said a gentleman in whose company we were discussing these people. /...1873, Charles Nordhoff, “A January Day in Los Angeles”, in California: For Health, Pleasure, and Residence. A Book for Travellers and Residents, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, publishers, […]...

Verb (2)

pike (third-person singular simple present pikes, present participle piking, simple past and past participle piked)

(intransitive) To equip with a turnpike.
- Now suppose we commence and pike one mile of road in every township in this county each year,[…]. The saving on what was piked the years before would be such that you would be able to pay into the treasury only the amount that you did the first year.1889, “To What Extent is Macadamizing Practicable. (A Discussion at the Washington Institute.)”, in Agriculture of Pennsylvania, […], Harrisburg, Pa.: Edwin K. Meyers, state printer, →OCLC, page 381
- On motion Duke street from King street to Princess street was ordered to be piked.1917 February 19, Charles W. Kaeppel; Calvin E. Arner, reporters, “City of York v. Holtzapple. No. 2.”, in The Lehigh County Law Journal […], volume VII, Allentown, Pa.: Call Publishing Co....
(UK, intransitive, obsolete, thieves' cant) To depart or travel (as if by a turnpike), especially to flee, to run away.
- Joe sold his sand, and cly'd his cole, sir [marginal note: pocketed his money] / While Bess got a basket of rags, / Then up to St. Giles's they roll'd, sir, / To every bunter Bess brags: / Into a booze-ken they pike it, [marginal note: go] / Where Bess was admitted we hear; / For none of the coves...a. 1789, G[eorge] Parker (?), collected and annotated by John S[tephen] Farmer, “The Sandman’s Wedding”, in Musa Pedestris. Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536–1896], [s.l.]...
- Crash the cull—down with him—down with him before he dubs the jigger. Tip him the degan, Fib, fake him through and through; if he pikes we shall all be scragged. [footnote: Kill the fellow, down with him before he opens the door. Stab him, through and through; if he gets off we shall all be hanged.]1828, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, chapter LXXXIII, in Pelham or Adventures of a Gentleman, New York, N.Y.: The Cassell Publishing Co. […], →OCLC, page 402

Proper noun capitalized: Pike

Pike

A surname from Middle English.
A census-designated place in Sierra County, California.
An unincorporated community in Boone County, Indiana, first named Pikes Crossing, at the crossing of a turnpike.
An unincorporated community in Haverhill, Grafton County, New Hampshire.
A town, hamlet, and census-designated place therein, in Wyoming County, New York.
An unincorporated community in Collin County, Texas.
An unincorporated community in Ritchie County, West Virginia, named for a turnpike intersection.
A number of townships in the United States, listed under Pike Township.

Noun (3) capitalized: Pike

Pike (plural Pikes)

(US, slang) A member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.

Also used as

pike is also the clipping of turnpike.

pike meaning in Hindi, Marathi, Urdu and Bengali

pike in Hindi

पाईक, पाइक

pike in Marathi

पाईक

pike in Urdu

پائیک

pike in Bengali

পাইক, পাইক করতে

More languagesFewer languages

pike in Telugu: పైక్, పాయిక్, పైక్ చెయ్యడానికి
pike in Malayalam: പൈക്ക്, പൈക്
pike in Kannada: ಪೈಕ್, ಪಾಯಿಕ್
pike in Punjabi: ਪਾਈਕ, ਪਾਈਕ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ, ਪਾਈਕ ਕਰਨਾ
pike in Gujarati: પાઈક, પાઇક, પાઈક કરવા માટે
pike in Odia: ପାଇକ୍, ପାଇକ୍ କରିବା, ପାଇକ୍ କରିବାକୁ
pike in Nepali: पाईक, पाइक, पाइक गर्न

Examples of pike in a sentence

During the earlier part of this period, the long pike disappeared from the shoe, but in the later part it returned in greater longitude than ever.1861, Charles Macfarlane, Thomas Thomson, “History of Society. From the Accession of Henry IV. (A.D. 1399) to the Death of Richard III....
The pike of Teneriffe how high it is? 70 miles or 52, as Patritius holds: […]1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Ayre Rectified. With a Digression of the Ayre.”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy: […]...
Then she flexes at the hips and folds herself in half (she pikes), and her rotation speeds up as if by magic.2013, Peter M[erton] McGinnis, Biomechanics of Sport and Exercise, 3rd edition, Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics, →ISBN, page 196:
I found no difficulty in obtaining admission to the Navarre's long gambling room, where I "piked" by placing two-bit bets on the numbered roulette board.1964, Gilbert Patten (“Burt L. Standish”), edited by Harriet Hinsdale, assisted by Tony London, Frank Merriwell’'s “Father”: An...

All 40 example sentences with pike

Synonyms of pike

Forms of pike

Noun
plural	pikes
plural	Pikes
Verb
third-person singular present	pikes
present participle	piking
past participle	piked
past	piked

Plural of pike: pikes

Origin of pike

From Middle English pyke, pyk, pik, pike (“pike; sharp point, iron tip of a staff or spear, pointed toe of an item of footwear; sharp tool; mountain, peak”), from Old English pīc (“pointed object, pick axe”), and Middle French pique (“long thrusting weapon”), from Old French pic (“sharp point, spike”); both ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *pīk, from Proto-Germanic *pīkaz, *pīkō (“sharp point, pike, peak”), related to pick with a narrower meaning. The word is cognate with Middle Dutch pecke, peke, picke (modern Dutch piek), German Pike, Norwegian pik, Danish pig, and possibly Old Irish pīk. It is a doublet of pique. The diving or gymnastics position is probably from tapered appearance of the body when the position is executed. The carnivorous freshwater fish is probably derived from the “sharp point, spike” senses, due to the fish’s pointed jaws. The verb sense “to quit or back out of a promise” may be from the sense of taking up pilgrim's staff or pike and leaving on a pilgrimage; and compare Middle English pī̆ken (“to go, remove oneself”) and Old Danish pikke af (“to go away”).

Clipping of turnpike (“a toll road, especially a toll expressway; a spiked barrier across a road, originally used to block access to the road until toll had been paid”). Noun sense 2 (“gypsy, itinerant tramp, or traveller”) and verb sense 2 (“to depart, travel, especially to flee, run away”) may refer to someone frequently using turnpikes, or may be derived from Middle English pī̆ken (“to go, remove oneself”).

The surname is of multiple origins, including Middle English pike.

Words formed from pike

Phrases with pike

Words that rhyme with pike

33 more rhymesFewer rhymes

Questions about pike

What does pike mean?: Pike means a very long spear used two-handed by infantry soldiers for thrusting (not throwing), both for attacks on enemy foot soldiers and as a countermeasure against cavalry assaults.
What is pike in Hindi?: Pike in Hindi is पाईक, पाइक. See Pike meaning in Hindi.
How do you use pike in a sentence?: During the earlier part of this period, the long pike disappeared from the shoe, but in the later part it returned in greater longitude than ever.
What part of speech is pike?: Pike can be a noun, a verb or a proper noun.
How do you pronounce pike?: Pike is pronounced /paɪk/ (UK).
What is the plural of pike?: The plural of pike is pikes.

Words near pike in the dictionary

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: en-us-pike.ogg, en-au-pike.ogg.

Cite this entry: “pike.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/pike. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.