Spire (?), v. i. [L. spirare to breathe. See Spirit.] To breathe. [Obs.]
Shenstone.
© Webster 1913.
Spire, n. [OE. spire, spir, a blade of grass, a young shoot, AS. spir; akin to G. spier a blade of grass, Dan. spire a sprout, sprig, Sw. spira a spar, Icel. spira.] 1. A slender stalk or blade in vegetation; as, a spire grass or of wheat.
An oak cometh up a little spire.
Chaucer.
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.
A spire of land that stand apart,
Cleft from the main.
Tennyson.
Tall spire from which the sound of cheerful bells
Just undulates upon the listening ear.
Cowper.
3. Mining A tube or fuse for communicating fire to the chargen in blasting.
4. The top, or uppermost point, of anything; the summit.
The spire and top of praises.
Shak.
© Webster 1913.
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.
It is not so apt to spire up as the other sorts, being more inclined to branch into arms.
Mortimer.
© Webster 1913.
Spire, n. [L. spira coil, twist; akin to Gr. : cf. F. spire.] 1. A spiral; a curl; a whorl; a twist.
Dryden.
2. Geom. The part of a spiral generated in one revolution of the straight line about the pole. See Spiral, n.
Spire bearer. Paleon. Same as Spirifer.
© Webster 1913. | 
