spike [ME] In the noun sense ‘a sharp-pointed piece of metal or wood’ spike derived from Dutch or German. The verb came later, in the early 17th century. To spike someone’s guns is to thwart their plans. This expression refers to the practice of disabling cannons captured from the enemy. A spike was driven into the small hole through which the charge was ignited, making it impossible to fire the gun. To spike someone’s drink, first recorded in the late 19th century, is based on the idea of making a drink ‘sharper’. See also spoke.