pique

See also Pique, and piqué

English

Pronunciation

• enPR: pēk, IPA: /piːk/, X-SAMPA: /pi:k/
• Homophones: peak, peek, peke

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːk

Etymology 1

Middle French pique (“a prick, sting”), from Old French pic (“a sharp point”). Etymological twin to pike (“long pointed weapon”).

Noun

pique (plural piques)

1. A feeling of enmity between two entities; ill-feeling, animosity; a transient feeling of wounded pride.
2. A feeling of irritation or resentment, awakened by a social slight or injury; offence, especially taken in an emotional sense with little thought or consideration.
   • 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, Abacus 2010, p. 7:

     This defiance was not a fit of pique, but a matter of principle.

Translations

feeling of irritation or resentment

• Finnish: närkästys (fi)
• Romanian: pică (ro) f

• Russian: раздражение (ru) n (razdraženije), досада (ru) f (dosada)
• Serbo-Croatian: uvreda (sh)

Verb

pique (third-person singular simple present piques, present participle piquing, simple past and past participle piqued)

1. (transitive) To wound the pride of; to sting; to nettle; to irritate; to fret; to excite to anger.
2. (reflexive) To take pride in; to pride oneself on.
3. (transitive) To excite (someone) to action by causing resentment or jealousy; to stimulate (a feeling, emotion); to offend by slighting.

   I believe this will pique your interest.

Translations

to wound the pride of

• German: pikieren (de)

• Romanian: supăra (ro), ofensa (ro)

Etymology 2

From French pic.

Noun

pique (plural piques)

1. In piquet, the right of the elder hand to count thirty in hand, or to play before the adversary counts one.

Etymology 3

From Spanish pique, from Central Quechua piki.

Noun

pique (plural piques)

1. A chigger or jigger, Tunga penetrans.

Etymology 4

From French piqué from past participle of French piquer (“to prick, quilt”)

Noun

pique (uncountable)

1. A durable ribbed fabric made from cotton, rayon, or silk.

Anagrams

• equip

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French

Pronunciation

• IPA: /pik/

• Audio (FR)

  (file)

Noun

pique f (plural piques)

1. lance
2. (card games) spade (as a card suit)
   • quatre de pique = four of spades

Verb

pique

1. First- and third-person singular indicative present of piquer
2. First- and third-person singular subjunctive present of piquer
3. Ordinary second-person singular imperative present of piquer

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Portuguese

Etymology

From Middle French picque (“a prick, sting”), from Old French pic (“a sharp point”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈpi.ki/
• (South Brazil) IPA: /ˈpi.ke/

Noun

pique m (plural piques)

1. any spear
2. or specifically a pike
3. hide-and-seek (game)

Synonyms

• (spear): lança, hasta
• (pike): chuço
• (hide-and-seek): pique-esconde, esconde-esconde

Derived terms

• a pique, ir a pique

Verb

pique

1. First-person singular (eu) present subjunctive of picar. (sting)
2. Third-person singular (ele, ela, also used with tu and você^?) present subjunctive of picar.
3. Third-person singular (você) affirmative imperative of picar.
4. Third-person singular (você) negative imperative of picar.

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Spanish

Noun

pique m (plural piques)

1. (card games) spade
2. downward movement

   irse a pique (sink [for a ship])

3. hit, fix (of drugs)
4. rivalry, needle, loggerheads
5. grudge match

Derived terms

• a pique
• irse a pique

Verb

pique (infinitive picar)

1. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of picar.
2. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of picar.
3. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of picar.