A spicket; a post driven into the ground.

1

1824.  This, in the language of the proverb, is saving at the spoil, and losing at the bung-hole.—Mass. Spy, Aug. 18.

2

1843.  Every spile becomes a speaker of his praises; every shutter swings open with a proclamation of his virtues; and there’s not a dead wall in the ward that does not announce his glory in the largest capitals—nor a dumb hogshead that is not vocal in approval of his nomination.—Cornelius Mathews, ‘Writings,’ p. 122.

3

1843.  [He was] laboriously employed on a report of fifty-three pages foolscap, on the subject of spiles and pier-heads.—Id., p. 198–9.

4

1862.  

        I guess the Lord druv down Creation’s spiles
’thout no gret helpin’ from the British Isles.
Lowell, ‘Biglow Papers,’ 2nd Series, No. 2.    

5

1866.  

        “They ’re drivin’ o’ their spiles down now,” sez she,
“To the hard grennit o’ God’s fust idee;
Ef they reach thet, Democ’cy need n’t fear
The tallest airthquakes we can git up here.”
Id., No. 11.    

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