pike
pike — noun
1. a large fish from lakes and rivers, with a long mouth and sharp teeth, that feed
a large fish from lakes and rivers, with a long mouth and sharp teeth, that feeds on other fish.
A huge pike lay beside the boat after Ken pulled it in.
collocation: huge pike
The children watched a pike chase smaller fish near the reeds.
pattern: a pike + chase prey
In winter, farmers saw a pike under the clear river ice.
Mara cooked the pike with lemon after the fishing trip.
- catch a pike
- river pike
- huge pike
- cook pike
- northern pike
the full species name when you want to be exact
- pickerel
a related fish name that can overlap in some regional use, but is not always the same fish
Grammar Patterns
catch a pike
a pike in the river
Usage Note
Often used for the species name in fishing, nature, or cooking contexts. When you mean the exact common species, people also say 'northern pike'.
2. a fast main road for long trips, where you pay money to drive on it.
a fast main road for long trips, where you pay money to drive on it.
Dad paid at the gate before driving onto the pike.
pattern: onto the pike
We took the pike and reached Columbus before dark.
collocation: take the pike
A crash on the pike slowed buses near the airport.
The sign told trucks to leave the pike at exit six.
- take the pike
- on the pike
- leave the pike
- pay at the gate
- freeway
in many contexts, a road used without paying a toll
Grammar Patterns
the pike
on the pike
take the pike
Usage Note
Mostly American and often used with 'the' or in road names. In wider everyday English, 'toll road' or 'turnpike' is more common.
Common Mistakes
3. a very long stick with a pointed metal end, carried by soldiers in older wars.
a very long stick with a pointed metal end, carried by soldiers in older wars.
Museum visitors stopped beside a pike longer than the guard.
pattern: a pike longer than...
The front line lowered each pike as the horses came closer.
collocation: lower a pike
A rusted pike hung above the stone fireplace in the hall.
The play showed farmers carrying pikes through the town square.
- carry a pike
- lower a pike
- line of pikes
- rusted pike
Grammar Patterns
carry a pike
lower a pike
Usage Note
Mostly historical. Distinguish from 'lance', which is usually linked with a rider on horseback rather than soldiers on foot.
4. a diving or gymnastics shape with straight legs and the upper body folded from t
a diving or gymnastics shape with straight legs and the upper body folded from the hips.
The coach asked Nina to hold the pike before entering the water.
collocation: hold the pike
In the photo, Omar's pike looked tighter than last week.
The judge gave extra points for a clean pike off the board.
collocation: clean pike
During practice, the girls moved from tuck to pike and back.
contrast: tuck to pike
- hold a pike
- in pike
- clean pike
- tuck to pike
- pike position
full coaching term for the same body shape
- pike shape
used when describing how the body looks during the move
- tuck
a different diving or gymnastics shape with bent knees
Grammar Patterns
hold a pike
in pike
go from tuck to pike
Usage Note
Common after verbs like 'hold' and in the phrase 'in pike'. Distinguish from 'tuck', where the knees bend instead of staying straight.
Common Mistakes
5. in northern England, a hill or mountain top with a pointed shape.
in northern England, a hill or mountain top with a pointed shape.
From the farm, we could see a pike above the morning mist.
regional landscape use
The map marked two pikes north of the village.
plural: pikes
Rain covered the pike, but its sharp top still showed.
After lunch, the walkers climbed the pike behind the inn.
collocation: climb the pike
- sharp pike
- see a pike
- two pikes
- climb the pike
Grammar Patterns
a pike above the village
climb the pike
Usage Note
Regional British use, mainly in place names or local speech in northern England. Outside that area, 'peak' or 'hill' is more likely.
come down the pike
idiomto appear, happen, or be announced, especially as something new or important.
New safety rules may come down the pike before summer break.
The bakery's cheese buns were the best thing to come down the pike that spring.
pike — verb
1. to wound, kill, or push through with a pike.
to wound, kill, or push through with a pike.
The guards piked the wild boar before it reached the gate.
pattern: pike + animal
In the battle scene, soldiers piked straw dummies in the yard.
A frightened farmer piked the wolf to protect the sheep.
The rebels piked the enemy horse on the narrow bridge.
historical action verb
- pike the enemy
- pike a boar
- pike the horse
Grammar Patterns
pike + person/animal
Usage Note
Object is the person or animal hit by the weapon. Mostly found in historical writing or staged battle description.
2. to go away suddenly or drop out without warning.
to go away suddenly or drop out without warning.
Rosa got angry and piked before the cake was served.
leave suddenly during an event
When the teacher arrived, two boys piked through the back door.
Lena promised to help, then piked at the last minute.
collocation: pike at the last minute
After one rude joke, Marcus piked and went home.
- pike before dessert
- pike at the last minute
- pike and go home
- stay
means not leaving
Grammar Patterns
[person] pikes
pike at the last minute
Usage Note
Informal and uncommon. Often used without an object for leaving a place or backing out of a plan suddenly; distinguish from verb sense 3, which focuses on the route taken.
Common Mistakes
3. to make your way forward, especially through a place that is crowded or difficul
to make your way forward, especially through a place that is crowded or difficult.
The nurse piked through the crowd to reach the injured child.
pattern: pike through + crowd
We piked along the wet rocks until we found a cave.
pattern: pike along + route
At noon, traders piked across the square with heavy bags.
The dog piked between the chairs and under the table.
movement through a tight space
- pike through the crowd
- pike along the rocks
- pike across the square
- make your way
closest neutral phrase for moving forward with effort
- thread
suggests careful movement through narrow spaces or a crowd
- stop
means no longer moving forward
Grammar Patterns
pike through + place
pike along + route
pike across + area
Usage Note
Usually followed by a phrase with 'through', 'across', or 'along'. Distinguish from verb sense 2, where the key idea is sudden departure rather than forward movement.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- turnpikenounC1
- pikemannoun
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Use 'pike' when you mean this particular long, sharp-toothed freshwater fish. 'Fish' is the broad everyday word, so it works when the exact kind does not matter. 'Trout' and 'salmon' are also specific fish names, but they refer to different kinds and often suggest food more strongly than 'pike' does. 'Pickerel' is the closest comparison because it can mean a related fish and sometimes overlaps in regional naming, but it is often smaller or used for a slightly different species. If you only know that something was caught in a lake, 'fish' is safest. If the long body and hunting behavior matter, choose 'pike': 'We caught a pike near the reeds.' 'The menu had trout, not pike.'
Etymology
Pike comes from Old English pīc, a word for a pickaxe or another pointed tool. In Middle English it was used for things with a sharp point, especially the long weapon. From that idea, English also named the fish for its pointed mouth, and the road sense survives through 'turnpike', a road once controlled by a gate with a long pointed bar that turned.