Spire
An allegorical novel about an obsession: in the 14th century, the dean of a cathedral must construct a huge new spire, even though the cathedral cannot bear its weight.

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1. \Spire\, v. i. [L. spirare to breathe. See {Spirit}.]
   To breathe. [Obs.] --Shenstone.
   

2. \Spire\, n. [OE. spire, spir, a blade of grass, a young
   shoot, AS. sp[=i]r; akin to G. spier a blade of grass, Dan.
   spire a sprout, sprig, Sw. spira a spar, Icel. sp[=i]ra.]
   1. A slender stalk or blade in vegetation; as, a spire grass
      or of wheat.
            An oak cometh up a little spire.      --Chaucer.
   2. A tapering body that shoots up or out to a point in a
      conical or pyramidal form. Specifically (Arch.), the roof
      of a tower when of a pyramidal form and high in proportion
      to its width; also, the pyramidal or aspiring termination
      of a tower which can not be said to have a roof, such as
      that of Strasburg cathedral; the tapering part of a
      steeple, or the steeple itself. ``With glistering spires
      and pinnacles adorned.'' --Milton.
            A spire of land that stand apart, Cleft from the
            main.                                 --Tennyson.
            Tall spire from which the sound of cheerful bells
            Just undulates upon the listening ear. --Cowper.
   3. (Mining) A tube or fuse for communicating fire to the
      chargen in blasting.
   4. The top, or uppermost point, of anything; the summit.
            The spire and top of praises.         --Shak.
   

3. \Spire\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Spired}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Spiring}.]
   To shoot forth, or up in, or as if in, a spire. --Emerson.
         It is not so apt to spire up as the other sorts, being
         more inclined to branch into arms.       --Mortimer.
   

4. \Spire\, n. [L. spira coil, twist; akin to Gr. ???: cf. F.
   spire.]
   1. A spiral; a curl; a whorl; a twist. --Dryden.
   2. (Geom.) The part of a spiral generated in one revolution
      of the straight line about the pole. See {Spiral}, n.
   {Spire bearer}. (Paleon.) Same as {Spirifer}.