Also 6–7 speer. [Irregular variant of SPIRE v. Cf. SPEAR sb.2] intr. Of corn, etc.: To sprout, germinate. Also with out.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 174. Malt being well speered, the more it will cast.
1651. R. Child, in Hartlib’s Legacy (1655), 91. Rooks, which pluck up in light land presently after the Corn speareth, much Corn.
1678. Phil. Trans., XII. 946. As soon as the Heads begin to shoot or speer within the ground … howe or pare the ground all over very thin.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1757), 114. Fourteen barley-corns of the twenty had put forth roots, but had not speared. Ibid., 139. In turning up wet wheat straw … I found … many loose grains speared out.
1763. Mills, Pract. Husb., III. 156. That surface must be so fine, and so lightly compressed, that the seed may spear through it.
a. 1825–. in dial. glossaries (Yks., E. Anglia, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, etc.).
1886. Science, VII. 174/1. The single blade ‘spears’ first into three, then into five or more side-shoots.
Hence Speared ppl. a.2; Spearing vbl. sb.2
1577–82. Breton, Toyes Idle Head, Wks. (Grosart), I. 58/2. What their shiftes should be,… by speered Mault the Bruer soone will see.
1707. Mortimer, Husb. (1721), II. 23. You may prepare them for spearing by laying the [Ash-] Keys in Earth or Sand.
1765. Museum Rust., III. 151. It would have been better … if more of it had been grown last year, when the wheat was almost all speared.
