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Plug vs Spile - What's the difference?

plug | spile |

In context|us|lang=en terms the difference between plug and spile

is that plug is (us) a flat oblong cake of pressed tobacco while spile is (us) a spout inserted in a maple (or other tree) to draw off sap.

As nouns the difference between plug and spile

is that plug is (electricity) a pronged connecting device which fits into a mating socket while spile is a splinter or spile can be a pile; a post or girder.

As verbs the difference between plug and spile

is that plug is to stop with a plug; to make tight by stopping a hole while spile is to plug (a hole) with a spile or spile can be to support by means of spiles or spile can be (us|dialect|ambitransitive) spoil.

plug

English

(wikipedia plug)

Noun

(en noun)
  • (electricity) A pronged connecting device which fits into a mating socket.
  • I pushed the plug back into the electrical socket and the lamp began to glow again.
  • Any piece of wood, metal, or other substance used to stop or fill a hole; a stopple.
  • Pull the plug out of the tub so it can drain.
  • (US) A flat oblong cake of pressed tobacco.
  • He preferred a plug of tobacco to loose chaw.
  • (US, slang) A high, tapering silk hat.
  • (US, slang) A worthless horse.
  • That sorry old plug is ready for the glue factory!
  • (construction) A block of wood let into a wall to afford a hold for nails.
  • A mention of a product (usually a book, film or play) in an interview, or an interview which features one or more of these.
  • During the interview, the author put in a plug for his latest novel.
  • (geology) A body of once molten rock that hardened in a volcanic vent. Usually round or oval in shape.
  • Pressure built beneath the plug in the caldera, eventually resulting in a catastrophic explosion of pyroclastic shrapnel and ash.
  • (fishing) A type of lure consisting of a rigid, buoyant or semi-buoyant body and one or more hooks.
  • The fisherman cast the plug into a likely pool, hoping to catch a whopper.
  • (horticulture) A small seedling grown in a tray from expanded polystyrene or polythene filled usually with a peat or compost substrate.
  • Synonyms

    * (hole filler) bung, stopper * (worthless horse) dobbin, hack, jade, nag

    Derived terms

    * butt-plug * breech plug * bridge plug * fire plug * glow plug * hawse plug * plugboard * plug and feather * plug centerbit * plug rod * plug valve * spark plug

    Coordinate terms

    * (worthless horse) bum (racing )

    Verb

    (plugg)
  • To stop with a plug; to make tight by stopping a hole.
  • He attempted to plug the leaks with some caulk.
  • To blatantly mention a particular product or service as if advertising it.
  • The main guest on the show just kept plugging his latest movie: it got so tiresome.
  • (informal) To persist or continue with something.
  • Keep plugging at the problem until you find a solution.
  • To shoot a bullet into something with a gun.
  • * 1884,
  • I am awfully glad that you kept your nerve and plugged him; it would have been better if you could have nailed him through the right shoulder, which would not have killed him...
  • (slang) to have sex with, penetrate sexually.
  • I'd love to plug her.

    Anagrams

    * gulp ----

    spile

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) or (etyl) , (etyl) spile.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A splinter.
  • A spigot or plug used to stop the hole in a barrel or cask.
  • *1898 , , (Moonfleet) Chapter 4
  • *:So I felt my way down the passage back to the vault, and recked not of the darkness, nor of Blackbeard and his crew, if only I could lay my lips to liquor. Thus I groped about the barrels till near the top of the stack my hand struck on the spile of a keg, and drawing it, I got my mouth to the hold.
  • (US) A spout inserted in a maple (or other tree) to draw off sap.
  • Verb

    (spil)
  • To plug (a hole) with a spile.
  • To draw off (a liquid) using a spile.
  • To provide (a barrel, tree etc.) with a spile.
  • Etymology 2

    Alteration of (pile), after Etymology 1, above.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A pile; a post or girder.
  • Verb

    (spil)
  • To support by means of spiles.
  • Etymology 3

    Alteration of (l).

    Verb

    (spil)
  • (US, dialect, ambitransitive) spoil.
  • Anagrams

    * * * ----