Adjacent Words

Pique definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PIQUE, n. peek. An offense taken; usually, slight anger, irritation or displeasure at persons, rather temporary than permanent, and distinguished either in degree or temporariness from settled enmity or malevolence.
Out of personal pique to those in service, he stands as a looker on, when the government is attacked.
1. A strong passion.
2. Point; nicety; punctilio.
Add long prescription of established laws,
And pique of honor to maintain a cause.
PIQUE, v.t. peek.
1. To offend; to nettle; to irritate; to sting; to fret; to excite a degree of anger. It expresses less than exasperate.
The lady was piqued by her indifference.
2. To stimulate; to excite to action; to touch with envy; jealousy or other passion.
Piqu'd by Protogenes'fame,
From Co to Rhodes Apelles came--
3. With the reciprocal pronoun, to pride or value one's self.
Men pique themselves on their skill in the learned languages.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: tightly woven fabric with raised cords
2: a sudden outburst of anger; "his temper sparked like damp firewood" [syn: pique, temper, irritation] v
1: cause to feel resentment or indignation; "Her tactless remark offended me" [syn: pique, offend]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Date: 1592 a transient feeling of wounded vanity ; resentment <a fit of pique> Synonyms: see offense II. transitive verb (piqued; piquing) Etymology: French piquer, literally, to prick — more at pike Date: 1669 1. to arouse anger or resentment in ; irritate <what piques linguistic conservatives — T. H. Middleton> 2. a. to excite or arouse especially by a provocation, challenge, or rebuff <sly remarks to pique their curiosity> b. pride <he piques himself on his skill as a cook> Synonyms: see provoke

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. v. & n. --v.tr. (piques, piqued, piquing) 1 wound the pride of, irritate. 2 arouse (curiosity, interest, etc.). 3 (refl.; usu. foll. by on) pride or congratulate oneself. --n. ill-feeling; enmity; resentment (in a fit of pique). Etymology: F piquer prick, irritate, f. Rmc 2. n. & v. --n. the winning of 30 points on cards and play in piquet before one's opponent scores anything. --v. (piques, piqued, piquing) 1 tr. score a pique against. 2 intr. score a pique. Etymology: F pic, of unkn. orig.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pique Pique, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Piqued; p. pr. & vb. n. Piquing.] [F. piquer. See Pike.] 1. To wound the pride of; to sting; to nettle; to irritate; to fret; to offend; to excite to anger. Pique her, and soothe in turn. --Byron. 2. To excite to action by causing resentment or jealousy; to stimulate; to prick; as, to pique ambition, or curiosity. --Prior. 3. To pride or value; -- used reflexively. Men . . . pique themselves upon their skill. --Locke. Syn: To offend; displease; irritate; provoke; fret; nettle; sting; goad; stimulate.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Piqu'e Pi`qu['e]", n. [F., p. p. of piquer to prick.] A cotton fabric, figured in the loom, -- used as a dress goods for women and children, and for vestings, etc.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pique Pique, n. [F., fr. piquer. See Pike.] 1. A feeling of hurt, vexation, or resentment, awakened by a social slight or injury; irritation of the feelings, as through wounded pride; stinging vexation. Men take up piques and displeasures. --Dr. H. More. Wars had arisen . . . upon a personal pique. --De Quincey. 2. Keenly felt desire; a longing. Though it have the pique, and long, 'Tis still for something in the wrong. --Hudibras. 3. (Card Playing) In piquet, the right of the elder hand to count thirty in hand, or to play before the adversary counts one. Syn: Displeasure; irritation; grudge; spite. Usage: Pique, Spite, Grudge. Pique denotes a quick and often transient sense of resentment for some supposed neglect or injury, but it is not marked by malevolence. Spite is a stronger term, denoting settled ill will or malice, with a desire to injure, as the result of extreme irritation. Grudge goes still further, denoting cherished and secret enmity, with an unforgiving spirit. A pique is usually of recent date; a grudge is that which has long subsisted; spite implies a disposition to cross or vex others.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pique Pique, n. (Zo["o]l.) The jigger. See Jigger.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pique Pique, v. i. To cause annoyance or irritation. ``Every ?erse hath something in it that piques.'' --Tatler.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(piques, piquing, piqued) 1. Pique is the feeling of annoyance you have when you think someone has not treated you properly. Mimi had gotten over her pique at Susan's refusal to accept the job. 2. If something piques your interest or curiosity, it makes you interested or curious. This phenomenon piqued Dr Morris' interest... Their curiosity piqued, they stopped writing. = arouse VERB: V n, V-ed 3. If someone does something in a fit of pique, they do it suddenly because they are annoyed at being not treated properly. Lawrence, in a fit of pique, left the Army and took up a career in the City. PHRASE

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Resentment (slight), grudge, umbrage, offence, wounded pride, stinging vexation, displeasure, irritation, spite. 2. Point, nicety, punctilio. II. v. a. 1. Stimulate, incite, urge, instigate, spur, goad, set on, stir up. 2. Offend, displease, affront, provoke, incense, irritate, chafe, nettle, vex, fret, sting, wound, give offence to, give umbrage to, pain.

Moby Thesaurus

affect the interest, aggravate, agitate, angry look, animate, annoy, annoyance, arouse, attract, awaken, badger, bait, be at, bedevil, beset, blow the coals, bother, bristle, brown off, bug, bullyrag, burn up, chafe, chivy, concern, devil, dirty look, discompose, distemper, disturb, dog, dudgeon, embitter, enliven, exasperate, exasperation, excite, excite interest, exercise, exhilarate, fan, fan the flame, fascinate, fash, feed the fire, ferment, fillip, fire, foment, fret, frown, fume, galvanize, get, glare, glower, gripe, harass, harry, heat, heat up, heckle, hector, high dudgeon, hound, huff, ignite, impassion, incense, incite, inflame, infuse life into, instigate, interest, invigorate, invite, involve in, irk, irking, irritate, irritation, jazz up, miff, molest, motivate, move, nag, needle, nettle, nudzh, offense, peeve, persecute, pester, pet, pick on, pick up, plague, pluck the beard, plume, pother, preen, prick, provocation, provoke, punch, put out, put up to, quicken, raise, raise up, rally, rankle, renew, resentment, resuscitate, revive, ride, rile, roil, rouse, ruffle, scowl, set astir, set on, set up, sharpen, sic on, snuff, stew, stimulate, stir, stir the blood, stir the embers, stir up, tantalize, tease, tickle, tiff, titillate, torment, try the patience, turn on, tweak the nose, umbrage, vex, vexation, wake up, waken, whet, whip up, work up, worry