peak

peak
\ \ [16] Peak seems to come ultimately from the noun pick ‘pointed implement’ (as in toothpick). From this in the 15th century was formed an adjective picked ‘pointed’, which survived dialectally into the 19th century (S H A Hervey noted in the Wedmore Chronicle 1887 ‘Children still use ‘picked’ of a pencil with a good point to it’). It had a variant form peaked, from which peak appears to have been derived as a back-formation. The adjective peaky ‘sickly’ [19], incidentally, is not etymologically related.
\ \ It comes from a now little used verb peak ‘become sickly or pale’ [16], whose origins are unknown.
\ \ Cf.⇒ PICK

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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Synonyms:
/ (of a mountain), , , , , , , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • Peak — Peak, n. [OE. pek, AS. peac, perh of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. peac a sharp pointed thing. Cf. {Pike}.] 1. A point; the sharp end or top of anything that terminates in a point; as, the peak, or front, of a cap. Run your beard into a peak. Beau. & Fl …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Peak — 〈[pi:k] m. 6〉 1. 〈Phys.〉 Spitzenwert eines Signals o. Ä. 2. 〈allg.〉 Spitze, Spitzenwert, Höhepunkt 3. Bergspitze, gipfel (bes. in engl. Namen); →a. Pik1 [engl., „Spitze, Gipfel“] * * * Peak [ pi:k; engl. Gipfel, Spitze, Scheitelpunkt], der; s, s …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Peak — Peak, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Peaked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Peaking}.] 1. To rise or extend into a peak or point; to form, or appear as, a peak. [1913 Webster] There peaketh up a mighty high mount. Holand. [1913 Webster] 2. To acquire sharpness of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • peak — peak1 [pēk] vi. [< ?] to become sickly; waste away; droop peak2 [pēk] n. [var. of PIKE5] 1. a tapering part that projects; pointed end or top, as of a cap, roof, etc. 2. part of the hairline coming to a point on the forehead; widow s peak …   English World dictionary

  • Peak — Peak, v. t. (Naut.) To raise to a position perpendicular, or more nearly so; as, to peak oars, to hold them upright; to peak a gaff or yard, to set it nearer the perpendicular. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Peak — (High Peak, spr. hai pīk, P. von Derby), ein breites Plateau mit steilen Wänden und tief eingeschnittenen Tälern im nördlichen Derbyshire (England), das zur Penninischen Kette gehört und vom Derwent, Dove und Wye bewässert wird. Es erreicht im… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Peak — Peak, SC U.S. town in South Carolina Population (2000): 61 Housing Units (2000): 36 Land area (2000): 0.268859 sq. miles (0.696341 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000671 sq. miles (0.001738 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.269530 sq. miles (0.698079 sq …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Peak, SC — U.S. town in South Carolina Population (2000): 61 Housing Units (2000): 36 Land area (2000): 0.268859 sq. miles (0.696341 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000671 sq. miles (0.001738 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.269530 sq. miles (0.698079 sq. km) FIPS …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • peak — pointed top, 1520s, variant of PIKE (Cf. pike) (2) sharp point. Meaning top of a mountain first recorded 1630s, though pike was used in this sense c.1400. Figurative sense is 1784. Meaning point formed by hair on the forehead is from 1833. The… …   Etymology dictionary

  • peak — [n1] top of something aiguille, alp, apex, brow, bump, cope, crest, crown, hill, mount, mountain, pinnacle, point, roof, spike, summit, tip, vertex; concepts 509,836 Ant. base, bottom, nadir peak [n2] maximum, zenith acme, apex, apogee, capstone …   New thesaurus

  • peak|y — «PEE kee», adjective, peak|i|er, peak|i|est. 1. peaked or pointed; peaklike. 2. abounding in peaks …   Useful english dictionary

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