Obs. Also speeke, speake. [Irregular var. SPICK sb.3] A large nail; a spike-nail.
1611. Cotgr., Clou d’estoupe, a speake, or sheathing nayle; vsed in ships.
c. 1635. Capt. N. Boteler, Dial. Sea Service (1685), 276. Adm. Which be those Nails you call Speeks. Capt. They are great and long Iron Nails, with flat heads and of divers lengths…; some of the Speeks are ragged, which cannot be drawn out again.
1671. Skinner, Etymol. Ling. Angl., Speeks, vox Naut. sic autem dicuntur magni Clavi ferrei.
attrib. 1633. T. James, Voy., 108. Their weake Speeke Ships, can hardly long endure it.
Hence † Speek v.1 trans., to fasten up with spikes.
c. 1635. Capt. N. Boteler, Dial. Sea Service (1685), 276–7. They use with these Nails to fasten a Coin or the like, unto the Deck, close to the Breech of the Carriages of the great Guns, to help keep them firm up…; and this is called Speeking up of the Ordnance.
1711. Milit. & Sea Dict., s.v., In foul Weather they use to speek up the Guns; that is, nail a Quoin to the Deck, close to the Breech of the Carriage, to help keep up the Piece strong to the Ship’s side.
