pike

n. [ F. pique; perhaps of Celtic origin; cf. W. pig a prick, a point, beak, Arm. pik pick. But cf. also L. picus woodpecker (see Pie magpie), and E. spike. Cf. Pick, n. & v., Peak, Pique. ] 1. (Mil.) A foot soldier's weapon, consisting of a long wooden shaft or staff, with a pointed steel head. It is now superseded by the bayonet. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A pointed head or spike; esp., one in the center of a shield or target. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A hayfork. [ Obs. or Prov. Eng. ] Tusser. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A pick. [ Prov. Eng. ] Wright. Raymond. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A pointed or peaked hill. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A large haycock. [ Prov. Eng. ] Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. A turnpike; a toll bar. Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Zool.) sing. & pl. A large fresh-water fish (Esox lucius), found in Europe and America, highly valued as a food fish; -- called also pickerel, gedd, luce, and jack. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Blue pike, grass pike, green pike, wall-eyed pike, and yellow pike, are names, not of true pike, but of the wall-eye. See Wall-eye. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gar pike. See under Gar. --
Pike perch (Zool.), any fresh-water fish of the genus Stizostedion (formerly Lucioperca). See Wall-eye, and Sauger. --
Pike pole, a long pole with a pike in one end, used in directing floating logs. --
Pike whale (Zool.), a finback whale of the North Atlantic (Balænoptera rostrata), having an elongated snout; -- called also piked whale. --
Sand pike (Zool.), the lizard fish. --
Sea pike (Zool.), the garfish (a). [ 1913 Webster ]