Spile

From Middle Dutch or Middle Low German spile ("splinter, peg"), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *spīlaz ("splinter, peg"), from Proto-Indo-European *spēy- ("prickle, pointed stick"). Cognate with Eastern Frisian spyl, German Speil ("chip, splinter, gore, wedge"), Danish spile.

Full definition of spile

Noun

1. (obsolete or dialectal) A splinter.
2. A spigot or plug used to stop the hole in a barrel or cask.
• 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet Chapter 4So I felt my way down the passage back to the vault, and recked not of the darkness, nor of Blackbeard and his crew, if only I could lay my lips to liquor. Thus I groped about the barrels till near the top of the stack my hand struck on the spile of a keg, and drawing it, I got my mouth to the hold.
3. (US) A spout inserted in a maple (or other tree) to draw off sap.

Verb

1. To plug (a hole) with a spile.
2. To draw off (a liquid) using a spile.
3. To provide (a barrel, tree etc.) with a spile.

Alteration of pile, after Etymology 1, above.

Noun

1. A pile; a post or girder.

Verb

1. To support by means of spiles.

Alteration of spoil.

Verb

1. (US, dialect, ambitransitive) spoil.

Anagrams

• piles
• plies
• spiel