[f. SPEAR sb.1]

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  1.  The point of a spear.

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c. 1450.  Merlin, xvii. 275. The cristin hem receyved at spere poynte.

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1584.  Shuttleworths’ Acc. (Chetham Soc.), 13. Payed for makinge a spair poynt, vjd.

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1597.  Cal. Border Pap., II. 464. Langriges … did openlie baffell and reprove the said lord Harrise of treason, by bearing his glove upon a speare point.

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1753.  Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v. Crambe, A fruit of the shape of a spear point.

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1776.  Mickle, trans. Camoens’ Lusiad, IX. 78. Like melted gold the brazen spear-points blaze.

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1815.  Scott, Guy M., xlvii. A staff in her hand, headed with a sort of spear-point.

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1856.  Kingsley, Heroes, IV. ii. Then they hurled their lances at his shield, but the spear-points turned like lead.

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  attrib.  1862.  Catal. Internat. Exhib., Brit., II. No. 6490, Table knives and forks, spear point, palette, and butchers’ knives.

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  2.  transf. Something resembling the point of a spear.

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1861.  L. L. Noble, Icebergs, 169. Where the ice shoots up into thin spear-points.

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1902.  Daily Chron., 1 April, 2/1. The ruddy spearpoints of the beech buds … swelling with new life.

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  3.  A species of moth (see quot.).

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1832.  J. Rennie, Consp. Butterfl. & Moths, 79. The Spear Point (A[cronycta] cuspis …). Rare. Kent.

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