Obs. [perh. f. SPIKE sb.2, but the simple word in this sense (SPIKE sb.3) occurs earlier than the compound.] A loop-hole or small opening in a wall.
1598. Florio, Balestriera, a spike hole or loope hole, to shoote out at.
1629. Mabbe, trans. Fonseca’s Devout Contempl., 90. Of all those Kingdomes … he hath not so much as one poore spike-hole in a wall.
1642. in Lismore Papers, Ser. II. (1888), V. 47. [They] played theire spicke holes and the tope of the Castle with small shott.
1690. Lond. Gaz., No. 2560/2. These … beat the Enemy out of a Ravelin … and fired upon them through their own Spikeholes.
1742. Jarvis, Quix., Pref. (1749), p. xviii. The dungeon is one of those strong stone towers … with small spike-holes high in the walls.
