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Glite Dictionary
to spike out

to spike out

7.7
To produce a long stem with flowers or buds
  • phrasal verb
: espigar
  • The orchids in the greenhouse are starting to spike out this spring.

Examples

  • In early spring, many bulbs spike out with tall stems before their flowers open.

  • Many bulbs will spike out before producing any visible blooms.

  • As the lilies spike out, gardeners anticipate a burst of color in the beds.

  • The cactus spikes out beautifully in spring.

  • The flowers spiked out after the rain.

  • As the lilies spike out, they create a stunning display of vibrant colors.

  • The orchids in the greenhouse tend to spike out when the weather warms up.

Synonyms

to spike
vsto spike out
  • Specialized
1 6.3

To grow a long stem that holds flowers

refers to producing a single elongated flowering stem rather than many

How Tall

to spike out
7.7
to grow
∞ 1.0
to sprout
68 2.0
to germinate
10 4.8

Surface Forms

spike out infinitive
spiked out past
spiked out past participle
spiking out present participle
spikes out third person singular

Morphology

spike + out

The verb 'spike' already means to produce or send up a spike and the particle 'out' adds a straightforward sense of emergence or outward direction, so the combined meaning — to produce an elongated flowering stem that comes out — is directly inferable. This verb+particle composition follows common, transparent English patterns (and similar constructions exist in other languages), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would understand it.

Etymology

The verb spike out comes from a simple garden image: a plant sends up a long, thin flowering stem called a spike, pushing out of the soil. So it means 'to produce a long flowering stem'.