Also 6 spyre. [a. F. spire (= It. spira, Sp. and Pg. espira), or ad. L. spīra, ad. Gr. σπεῖρα coil, twist, winding.]
1. One of the series of complete convolutions forming a coil or spiral. a. One of the sinuous folds or windings of a serpent, etc.; a coil. Chiefly in pl.
1572. J. Jones, Bathes Ayde, II. 14. Ye pypes did resemble the Spyres of a Dragon.
1608. Topsell, Serpents, 236. Sometimes also they [i.e., Sea-Serpents] sette vp such a Spire aboue the water, that a boate or little Barke without sayles may pass thorow the same.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 502. [The Serpent] erect Amidst his circling Spires, that on the grass Floted redundant.
1700. Dryden, Fables, Alexander’s Feast, 29. A dragon’s fiery form bely’d the god: Sublime on radiant spires he rode.
1712–4. Pope, Rape Lock, IV. 43. Now glaring fiends, and snakes on rolling spires.
1820. L. Hunt, Indicator, No. 22 (1822), I. 175. Tired out at length, they trail their spires, and gasp.
1868. Browning, Ring & Bk., V. 1959. There was the reptile,… Renewing its detested spire and spire Around me.
b. In general or technical use.
1608. Topsell, Serpents, 150. Drinking vp the humour about the vitall spire [sc. the bowels].
1634. T. Johnson, Parey’s Wks., XIV. v. (1678), 325. If on the third day … the spires or windings [of the bandage] be found more loose.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Lond., II. (1662), 194. With anfractuous spires, and cocleary turnings about it.
1774. Pennant, Tour Scotl. in 1772, 295. A great ox-horn,—the arm was twisted round its spires.
1822. Shelley, Fragm. Unf. Drama, 196. The plant … trailing its quaint spires Along the garden and across the lawn.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 473. Rifles should not be too deeply indented;… and the spires should be truly parallel.
1870. Rep. Smithson. Instit. 1869, 8. The center of a coil of many spires of fine wire forming part of the galvanic circuit.
2. A spiral; a series of spiral curves or coils.
1611. B. Jonson, Catiline’s Consp., II. i. Ful. Binde my hair vp…. Gal. Will you ha’t i’ the globe, or spire?
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Spiral, ’Tis called from its Inventor, Archimedes’s Spire, or Helix.
1761. Brit. Mag., II. 642. Of those perfect spires which lie in the same plane, there are two sorts. The first contains those curves whose spaces, or the distances between each circumvolution, are equal, commonly called Archimedes’ spire.
1801. Shaw, Gen. Zool., II. II. 391. The principal distinction of the Spanish Sheep is the fineness of the fleece, and the horizontally extended spire of the horns.
1887. D. Maguire, Massage (ed. 4), 114. These frictions are applied in every possible direction, now in a rectangular way, now obliquely describing spires and concentric … curves.
3. A curl or wreath of smoke, etc.
1699. Garth, Dispens., 7. Aromatick Clouds in Spires ascend.
1716. Cheyne, Philos. Princ. Nat. Relig., I. 65. Air seems to consist of Spires contorted into small Spheres.
1769. Phil. Trans., LIX. 334. There was not a spire of smoke to be perceived.
† 4. As the name of a shell. Obs.–1
1681. Grew, Musæum, I. vi. i. 132. The Level-Whirle, or the Spire.
5. Conch., The upper convoluted portion of a spiral shell, consisting of all the whorls except the body-whorl.
1822. J. Parkinson, Outl. Oryctol., 150. A shield-formed, subconical univalve; no spire.
1851. G. F. Richardson, Geol. (1855), 240. The spire forms a very important feature in the univalves, and on its being raised, flattened, concealed, or reversed, depend many of the generic and specific distinctions of the shells.
1870. Rolleston, Anim. Life, 51. The greater part of the shell has been removed, but a part of the spire has been left in situ.
6. attrib. and Comb., as spire-shell, -ward adj.; spire-bearer Conch., a spirifer.
1713. Petiver, Aquat. Anim. Amboinæ, ix. Thread listed Spire-shell.
1880. Linn. Soc. Jrnl., XV. 104. A broader furrow, in the bottom of which runs the suture on the spireward side of a fine rounded thread.
1881. Cassell’s Nat. Hist., V. 265. The Spire-Bearers. The name … is derived from the spiral shape assumed by the calcareous labial appendages which nearly fill the interior of the dorsal valve.
