peak

¹peak

noun \ˈpēk\

Definition of PEAK

1

: a pointed or projecting part of a garment; especially : the visor of a cap or hat

2

: promontory

3

: a sharp or pointed end

4

a (1) : the top of a hill or mountain ending in a point (2) : a prominent mountain usually having a well-defined summit

b : something resembling a mountain peak

5

a : the upper aftermost corner of a fore-and-aft sail

b : the narrow part of a ship's bow or stern or the part of the hold in it

6

a : the highest level or greatest degree

b : a high point in a course of development especially as represented on a graph

7

: widow's peak

Examples of PEAK

1. a line of rocky peaks
2. the peak of the roof
3. The recipe says to beat the cream until it forms soft peaks.
4. At her peak she was writing a new novel every year.
5. Violence reached a peak just before the election.
6. The graph shows that murders in the city declined from a peak of 173 in 2004.

Origin of PEAK

perhaps alteration of pike

First Known Use: 1530

Related to PEAK

Synonyms

alp, hump, mount, mountain

Antonyms

bottom, nadir, rock bottom

Related Words

cordillera, mountain range, range, sierra; inselberg, knob, seamount; aiguille, horn, mountaintop, pinnacle, summit

Near Antonyms

basin, bowl, depression, hollow, vale, valley

See Synonym Discussion at summit

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

Rhymes with PEAK

beak, bleak, cheek, chic, cleek, clique, creak, creek, Creek, eke, flic, freak, geek, gleek, Greek, keek, leak, leek, meek, peek, peke, pic, pique, reek, screak, seek, sheikh, shriek, sic, Sikh, sleek, sneak, speak, squeak, steek, streak, streek, teak, tweak, weak, week

²peak

verb

Definition of PEAK

intransitive verb

: to reach a maximum (as of capacity, value, or activity) —often used with out

transitive verb

: to cause to come to a peak, point, or maximum

First Known Use of PEAK

1577

³peak

adjective

Definition of PEAK

: being at or reaching the maximum <peak levels> <peak output>; also : of, relating to, or being a period of maximum intensity or activity <peak business hours>

Examples of PEAK

1. The factory has been running at peak capacity for the past year.
2. the peak season for fishing

First Known Use of PEAK

1903

⁴peak

intransitive verb

Definition of PEAK

1

: to grow thin or sickly

2

: to dwindle away

Origin of PEAK

origin unknown

First Known Use: 1605

⁵peak

transitive verb

Definition of PEAK

1

: to set (as a gaff) nearer the perpendicular

2

: to hold (oars) with blades well raised

Origin of PEAK

from apeak held vertically

First Known Use: 1626