Found 2 items, similar to Spire.
English → English (WordNet) Definition: spire spire n : a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building (usually a church or temple) and that tapers to a point at the top [syn: steeple]
English → English (gcide) Definition: Spire Spire \Spire\, v. i. [L. spirare to breathe. See Spirit.] To breathe. [Obs.] --Shenstone. [1913 Webster] Spire \Spire\, n. [OE. spire, spir, a blade of grass, a young shoot, AS. sp[=i]r; akin to G. spier a blade of grass, Dan. spire a sprout, sprig, Sw. spira a spar, Icel. sp[=i]ra.] 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] Spire \Spire\, n. [L. spira coil, twist; akin to Gr. ???: 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] Spire \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. [1913 Webster] It is not so apt to spire up as the other sorts, being more inclined to branch into arms. --Mortimer. [1913 Webster]