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Definition of pique verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

pique

verb
 
/piːk/
 
/piːk/
(formal)
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they pique
 
/piːk/
 
/piːk/
he / she / it piques
 
/piːks/
 
/piːks/
past simple piqued
 
/piːkt/
 
/piːkt/
past participle piqued
 
/piːkt/
 
/piːkt/
-ing form piquing
 
/ˈpiːkɪŋ/
 
/ˈpiːkɪŋ/
Idioms
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  1. pique somebody/something to make somebody annoyed or upset synonym wound1
    • The incident piqued his pride.
    Oxford Collocations DictionaryPique is used with these nouns as the object:
    • curiosity
    • interest
    See full entry
    Word Originmid 16th cent. (denoting animosity between two or more people): from French piquer ‘prick, irritate’.
Idioms
pique somebody’s interest, curiosity, etc.
  1. to make somebody very interested in something
Homophones peak | peek | piquepeak   peek   pique
 
/piːk/
 
/piːk/
  • peak noun
    • Mount McKinley is the highest peak in North America.
  • peak verb
    • Inflation is expected to peak in December.
  • peek verb
    • I have to peek out from behind a cushion when watching horror films.
  • peek noun
    • She sneaked a peek at her watch.
  • pique noun
    • He smashed his racket in a fit of pique.
  • pique verb
    • He knew the cutting remark would pique his friend's vanity.
See pique in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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