spike
B2Neutral, appearing in both formal and informal contexts, with specific technical uses in sports, economics, and medicine.
Definition
Meaning
A sharp-pointed projecting piece or object; a sudden, sharp increase or rise.
Can refer to a volleyball attack, a sharp increase (e.g., in prices or infections), a pointed metal projection, or the act of adding alcohol or drugs to a drink surreptitiously.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word's meanings cluster around the concepts of sharpness and suddenness. The noun can be a physical object or a data trend. The verb meanings derive from both: to pierce, to increase sharply, or to add a substance surreptitiously.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical differences. In sports, 'spike' is common in volleyball globally. In athletics, 'spikes' refer to running shoes with projecting points on the sole in both varieties.
Connotations
Similarly negative for 'price spikes' or 'infection spikes'. The verb 'to spike a drink' carries the same serious, negative connotation.
Frequency
Comparably frequent. Slightly more common in American sports journalism regarding football (a spike to stop the clock) and stock market reporting.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
spike (sth) (with sth)spike (to sth)spike (in sth)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Spike someone's guns (to ruin their plans)”
- “Spike a story (journalism: to reject or kill a story)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a sudden, sharp increase in prices, demand, or metrics. 'We saw a spike in online traffic after the ad campaign.'
Academic
Used in epidemiology ('infection spike'), economics, and data sciences to describe a rapid increase in a dataset.
Everyday
Common for describing sudden increases (e.g., temperature, interest) or physical objects like fence spikes or hair spikes.
Technical
In electronics: a voltage spike. In sports: a volleyball attack or a quarterback's deliberate throw to the ground (American football).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The player spiked the ball over the net for a point.
- They feared someone might spike the drinks at the party.
- Inflation spiked to 5% last quarter.
American English
- The quarterback spiked the football after the touchdown.
- Temperatures are expected to spike this weekend.
- He spiked the punch with rum.
adjective
British English
- She wore a spiked collar.
- The graph showed a spiked trend.
American English
- He has a spiked haircut.
- We observed spiked activity on the server.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The fence has sharp spikes on top.
- Her hair is in spikes.
- There was a sudden spike in temperature yesterday.
- The volleyball player's spike was very powerful.
- Authorities are concerned about the spike in respiratory infections.
- The journalist decided to spike the article due to lack of evidence.
- Investors were alarmed by the precipitous spike in bond yields, fearing market instability.
- The athlete was disqualified for wearing illegal spikes on his shoes.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SPIKE in your tire – it's sharp (the point) and causes a sudden, bad change (a flat).
Conceptual Metaphor
INCREASE IS UP / A SHARP INCREASE IS A PIERCING OBJECT (e.g., 'The chart line spiked.')
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'spike' (sudden increase) as 'шип' (which is a physical thorn or stud). Use 'резкий скачок' or 'всплеск'.
- The verb 'to spike a drink' is 'подмешать (что-л.) в напиток', not related to 'шип'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'spike' for a gradual increase (incorrect; it must be sharp/sudden).
- Confusing 'spike' (noun/verb for increase) with 'spiky' (adjective for appearance).
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'spike' NOT imply something negative or problematic?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while often used for negative surges (e.g., crime, infections), it is neutral in sports (a volleyball spike) and data analysis (a spike in website hits can be good).
They are often synonyms. 'Spike' often implies a sharper, more pointed, and sometimes briefer increase on a graph. 'Surge' can suggest a stronger, more powerful wave-like increase.
Indirectly. 'To spike a gun' (historical: to disable it). Figuratively, 'to spike someone's plans' means to ruin them. In journalism, 'to spike a story' is to reject it from publication.
Yes, both relate to sharp points. 'Spike' is the noun/verb for the object or action. 'Spiky' is the adjective describing something having spikes or a sharply prickly character.