pique

See also Pique, and piqué

English

Pronunciation

• enPR: pēk, IPA: /piːk/, 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.
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) Russian: раздражение (ru) n., досада (ru) f.

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 offend; 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).

Translations

to wound the pride of

German: pikieren (de)

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. The chigger or jigger, Tunga penetrans.

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 pique (“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

Derived terms

• a pique, ir a pique

Verb

pique

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

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Spanish

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.