What is "spile"

Spile \Spile\, v. t. To supply with a spile or a spigot; to make a small vent in, as a cask.

Spile \Spile\, n. [Cf. LG. spile, dial. G. speil, speiler, D. spijl. [root]170.]

1. A small plug or wooden pin, used to stop a vent, as in a cask.

2. A small tube or spout inserted in a tree for conducting sap, as from a sugar maple.

3. A large stake driven into the ground as a support for some superstructure; a pile.

   Spile hole, a small air hole in a cask; a vent.

tap or spout for drawing maple sugar, 1844, from Northern English dialect spile "splinter" (1510s), from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German spile "splinter, skewer, bar, spindle," German Speiler "skewer;" perhaps related to spike (n.1).

Etymology 1 n. 1 (context obsolete or dialectal English) A splinter. 2 A spigot or plug used to stop the hole in a barrel or cask. 3 (context US English) A spout inserted in a maple (or other tree) to draw off sap. vb. 1 To plug (a hole) with a spile. 2 To draw off (a liquid) using a spile. 3 To provide (a barrel, tree etc.) with a spile. Etymology 2

n. A pile; a post or girder. vb. To support by means of spiles. Etymology 3

vb. (context US dialect ambitransitive English) spoil.

1. n. a column of wood or steel or concrete that is driven into the ground to provide support for a structure [syn: pile, piling, stilt]

2. a plug used to close a hole in a barrel or flask [syn: bung]

A spile is a small wooden or metal peg used to control the flow of air into, and carbon dioxide out of, a cask of ale. It also can be used to obtain water from a tree.