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spear¹

(spîr)

1. A weapon consisting of a long shaft with a sharply pointed end.

2. A shaft with a sharp point and barbs for spearing fish.

3. A soldier armed with a spear.

v. speared, spear·ing, spears

v.tr.

1. To pierce with a spear or other sharp object.

2. To catch with a thrust of the arm: spear a grounder.

a. Football To block (an opponent) by ramming with the helmet, in violation of the rules.

b. Sports To jab (an opponent) with the blade of a hockey stick, in violation of the rules.

v.intr.

To stab at something with a spear or other sharp object.

[Middle English spere, from Old English.]

spearer n.

spearlike′ adj.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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