n :  a change (as in voltage) involving a sharp increase and fall or a recording of this: as  a  :  the pointed element in the wave tracing in an electroencephalogram <the and dome pattern representing the discharges characteristic of petit mal epilepsy>   b  :  a sharp increase in body temperature followed by a rapid fall <a fever with s to 103°>   c (1) :  the sharp increase and fall in the recorded action potential of a stimulated nerve cell that during the increasing phase corresponds to an inrush of sodium ions to the interior of the cell and during the decreasing phase corresponds to a slowing of the influx of sodium ions and to an increasing efflux of potassium ions to the exterior (2) :  ACTION POTENTIAL
vt, spiked  spik*ing  :  to undergo a sudden sharp increase in (temperature or fever) usu. up to an indicated level <one of the pathologists spiked a fever as high as 105°F -Therapeutic Notes>  .
 
 
 
Similar sounding terms:  sap·phic  SPCA  spi·ca  ZPG 
 
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