3 N‑COUNT If there is a spike in the price, volume, or amount of something, the price, volume, or amount of it suddenly increases. □ [+ in ] During the war, there was a small spike in interest.
4 N‑PLURAL [oft a pair of N ] Spikes are a pair of sports shoes with pointed pieces of metal attached to the soles. They help runners' feet to grip the ground when they are running.
5 → see also spiked
spiked /spa I kt/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is spiked has one or more spikes on it. □ …spiked railings.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If someone has spiked hair, their hair is short and sticks up all over their head.
3 → see also spike
spi ke hee ls N‑PLURAL [oft a pair of N ] Spike heels are women's shoes with very high narrow heels. [AM ] in BRIT, use stilettos
spiky /spa I ki/ ADJ Something that is spiky has one or more sharp points. □ Her short spiky hair is damp with sweat. □ …tall, spiky evergreen trees.
spill /sp I l/ (spills , spilling , spilled , spilt ) American English uses the form spilled as the past tense and past participle. British English uses either spilled or spilt . 1 VERB If a liquid spills or if you spill it, it accidentally flows over the edge of a container. □ [V adv/prep] 70,000 tonnes of oil spilled from the tanker. □ [V n] He always spilled the drinks. □ [V n adv/prep] Don't spill water on your suit. [Also V ]
2 N‑COUNT A spill is an amount of liquid that has spilled from a container. □ She wiped a spill of milkshake off the counter. □ An oil spill could be devastating for wildlife.
3 VERB If the contents of a bag, box, or other container spill or are spilled , they come out of the container onto a surface. □ [V n] A number of bags had split and were spilling their contents. □ [V adv/prep] He carefully balanced the satchel so that its contents would not spill out onto the floor.
4 VERB If people or things spill out of a place, they come out of it in large numbers. □ [V adv/prep] Tears began to spill out of the boy's eyes.
5 to spill the beans → see bean
6 thrills and spills → see thrill
▸ spill out PHRASAL VERB If you spill out information or if it spills out , you tell someone about it in a hurried way, because you cannot or do not want to keep it secret. □ [V P ] The words spilled out in a rush. □ [V P n] He was tempted to spill out his problems to Philip. [Also V n P ]
spill|age /sp I l I dʒ/ (spillages ) N‑VAR If there is a spillage , a substance such as oil escapes from its container. Spillage is also used to refer to the substance that escapes. □ …an oil spillage off the coast of Texas. □ …an accident in the workplace involving blood spillage.
spill|over /sp I loʊvə r / (spillovers ) N‑COUNT A spillover is a situation or feeling that starts in one place but then begins to happen or have an effect somewhere else. □ Some jobs are quite likely to have a negative spillover into family life.
spilt /sp I lt/ Spilt is a past tense and past participle form of spill . [mainly BRIT ]
spin ◆◇◇ /sp I n/ (spins , spinning , spun )
1 VERB If something spins or if you spin it, it turns quickly around a central point. □ [V ] The latest discs, used for small portable computers, spin 3600 times a minute. □ [V n] He spun the wheel sharply and made a U turn in the middle of the road. □ [V n round /around ] He spun his car round and went after them. ● N‑VAR Spin is also a noun. □ This driving mode allows you to move off in third gear to reduce wheel-spin in icy conditions.
2 VERB When you spin washing, it is turned round and round quickly in a spin drier or a washing machine to get the water out. □ [V n] Just spin the washing and it's nearly dry. ● N‑SING Spin is also a noun. □ Set on a cool wash and finish with a short spin.
3 VERB If your head is spinning , you feel unsteady or confused, for example because you are drunk, ill, or excited. □ [V ] His head was spinning and he could barely stand.
4 N‑SING If someone puts a certain spin on an event or situation, they interpret it and try to present it in a particular way. [INFORMAL ] □ He interpreted the vote as support and that is the spin his supporters are putting on the results today.
5 → see also spin doctor
6 N‑UNCOUNT In politics, spin is the way in which political parties try to present everything they do in a positive way to the public and the media. □ The public is sick of spin and tired of promises. It's time for politicians to act.
7 N‑SING If you go for a spin or take a car for a spin , you make a short journey in a car just to enjoy yourself.
8 VERB If someone spins a story, they give you an account of something that is untrue or only partly true. □ [V n] She had spun a story which was too good to be condemned as a simple lie. [Also V n n]
9 VERB When people spin , they make thread by twisting together pieces of a fibre such as wool or cotton using a device or machine. □ [V n] Michelle will also spin a customer's wool fleece to specification at a cost of $2.25 an ounce. [Also V ] ● spin|ning N‑UNCOUNT □ They do their own cooking, spinning, and woodworking.