spire

n. [ OE. spire, spir, a blade of grass, a young shoot, AS. spīr; akin to G. spier a blade of grass, Dan. spire a sprout, sprig, Sw. spira a spar, Icel. spīra. ] 1. A slender stalk or blade in vegetation; as, a spire grass or of wheat. [ 1913 Webster ]

An oak cometh up a little spire. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

A spire of land that stand apart,
Cleft from the main. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tall spire from which the sound of cheerful bells
Just undulates upon the listening ear. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mining) A tube or fuse for communicating fire to the chargen in blasting. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The top, or uppermost point, of anything; the summit. [ 1913 Webster ]

The spire and top of praises. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Spired p. pr. & vb. n. Spiring. ] To shoot forth, or up in, or as if in, a spire. Emerson. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is not so apt to spire up as the other sorts, being more inclined to branch into arms. Mortimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. spira coil, twist; akin to Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;: cf. F. spire. ] 1. A spiral; a curl; a whorl; a twist. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Geom.) The part of a spiral generated in one revolution of the straight line about the pole. See Spiral, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

Spire bearer. (Paleon.) Same as Spirifer. [ 1913 Webster ]