unspikev.
1. transitive. To extract a spike from (a cannon).
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > putting weapons or equipment out of action > put weapons or equipment out of action [verb (transitive)] > silence a gun > by spiking > unspike
unnail1562
unspike1680
1680 Exact Jrnl. Siege Tangier 6 The Moors took our Guns.., and unspik'd them, & clear'd them.
1842 R. Burn Naval & Mil. Techn. Dict. French Lang. 63 Désenclouer,..to unspike a piece of ordnance.
c1860 H. Stuart Novices or Young Seaman's Catech. (rev. ed.) 14 Suppose your gun is spiked.., how will you unspike it?
2. To release by the removal of a spike.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > separation > separation or detachment > loosening or unfastening > loosen, unfasten, or untie [verb (transitive)] > undo specific fastening
unbucklec1386
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unclasp1530
unsolder1538
disbuckle1562
unpin1587
unrivet1591
unlink1595
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unpeg1604
unhasp1610
uncord1611
unhoop1611
unwedge1611
unsplint1615
refibulate1623
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unlatchc1625
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unclamp1655
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unkey1802
unspring1802
unwire1823
unstrap1828
unscotch1839
unclap1846
unspike1846
uncramp1851
unspear1859
untoggle1859
unsnap1862
undraw1872
disbutton1887
uncinch1891
disimpale1904
unzip1927
zip1927
unzipper1936
1846 Edinb. Rev. Oct. 504 In this case the iron bar [sc. rail], worn thin and unspiked, gets detached from the plank.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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