spoke

UK: /spəʊk/ | US: /spoʊk/

Definition

  1. n. 1. One of the rods or bars connecting the center of a wheel to its rim.

  2. n. 2. (Archaic) Past tense of speak.

  3. v. (Archaic) To utter words; to express something verbally.

Structure

No data yet.

Etymology
  1. For the wheel component: The word traces back to Old English spāca, meaning "rod" or "bar," likely linked to Proto-Germanic *spaikǭ (related to spike). It reflects the functional resemblance between spokes and sharp, slender objects.
  2. For the past tense of speak: Derived from Old English spōc, the past tense of spacan ("to speak"). This form fell out of use as English regularized verb conjugations.
Examples

  1. The bicycle wheel had a broken spoke, making it wobble.

  2. (Archaic) "He spoke wisely at the council."

  3. She carefully adjusted each spoke to true the wheel.

  4. (Archaic) "They spoke of legends long forgotten."

  5. A missing spoke can weaken the entire wheel structure.