[f. SPIKE v.1]
1. Spiking party, a small body of men told off, or sent out, to spike guns.
1884. Milit. Engineer., I. II. 111. The artillery or spiking party will be from 4 or 5 to 40 or 50 men.
1891. Pall Mall Gaz., 22 Oct., 6/2. General Davis, when a captain, headed the spiking party in the attack on the Redan.
2. Presenting the appearance of spikes; suddenly rising and falling.
1897. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., II. 360. The range of temperature may be moderate—not exceeding 103°—or irregular with ‘spiking’ readings.
