from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Spear \Spear\, n. [OE. spere, AS. spere; akin to D. & G. speer,
OS. & OHS. sper, Icel. spj["o]r, pl., Dan. spaer, L. sparus.]
1. A long, pointed weapon, used in war and hunting, by
thrusting or throwing; a weapon with a long shaft and a
sharp head or blade; a lance.
Note: [See Illust. of {Spearhead}.] "A sharp ground spear."
--Chaucer.
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They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and
their spears into pruning hooks. --Micah iv. 3.
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2. Fig.: A spearman. --Sir W. Scott.
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3. A sharp-pointed instrument with barbs, used for stabbing
fish and other animals.
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4. A shoot, as of grass; a spire.
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5. The feather of a horse. See {Feather}, n., 4.
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6. The rod to which the bucket, or plunger, of a pump is
attached; a pump rod.
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{Spear foot}, the off hind foot of a horse.
{Spear grass}. (Bot.)
(a) The common reed. See {Reed}, n., 1.
(b) meadow grass. See under {Meadow}.
{Spear hand}, the hand in which a horseman holds a spear; the
right hand. --Crabb.
{Spear side}, the male line of a family. --Lowell.
{Spear thistle} (Bot.), the common thistle ({Cnicus
lanceolatus}).
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