—spike /spaɪk/
noun [C] (LEVEL)
► F0 a very high amount, price, or level, usually before a fall: » If price spikes continue, people will not be able to afford the new houses they want.Thesaurus+: ↑Increasing and intensifyingnoun [C] (SHAPE)
F0 a narrow, thin shape with a sharp point at one end, or something, especially a piece of metal, with this shape:
» There were large spikes on top of the railings to stop people climbing over them.» Some types of dinosaur had sharp spikes on their tails.See picture: spike 
Thesaurus+: ↑Sharp and bluntspikes
F0 a set of short, pointed pieces of metal or plastic fixed to the bottom of shoes worn for particular sports, which stop the person wearing the shoes from sliding on the ground, or shoes with these pointed pieces
Thesaurus+: ↑Shoes and shoemakingverb [T] (HIT) ↑Verb Endings for spike
► F0 in the sport of volleyball, to hit the ball so that it goes almost straight down on the other side of the netThesaurus+: ↑Basketball, netball and volleyball , ↑General terms used in ball sportsverb [T] (MAKE STRONGER) ↑Verb Endings for spike
► F0 to make a drink stronger by adding alcohol, or to add flavour or interest to something: » She claimed that someone had spiked her drink with whisky.» The pasta was served in a cream sauce spiked with black pepper.» His writing is spiked with humour.Thesaurus+: ↑Drinking alcoholverb [T] (POINT) ↑Verb Endings for spike
► F0 to push a sharp point into something or someone: » She got badly spiked when one of the runners trod on her heel.Thesaurus+: ↑Cutting and stabbingverb [T] INFORMAL (STOP) ↑Verb Endings for spike
► F0 to decide not to publish an article in a newspaper: » The story was deemed too controversial and so they spiked it.Thesaurus+: ↑Preventing and impeding , ↑Limiting and restrictingverb [T] [I] (LEVEL) ↑Verb Endings for spike
► F0 to rise to a higher amount, price, or level, usually before going down again: » The jobless rate in October spiked to a five-year high.Thesaurus+: ↑Increasing and intensifying