peak

peak
I UK [piːk] / US [pɪk] noun [countable]
Word forms "peak":
singular peak plural peaks
**
1) the time when something is at its highest or greatest level

The city's population is about 400,000, down from a peak of 750,000 in the late 1960s.

The traffic reaches its peak at about 8.30 in the morning.

a) the time when someone or something is most successful or powerful
at your/its peak:

Sampras was at his peak in the 1990s.

reach your/its peak:

The Ottoman Empire reached its peak in the 15th and 16th centuries.

b) maths used in mathematics about graphs, waves etc

The higher the peak, the louder the sound.

2) the top of a mountain

snow-covered peaks

a) mainly literary a mountain

one of the hardest peaks in Europe for climbers

b) an object or shape that looks like the top of a mountain

Whip the cream continuously until it thickens and stands in peaks.

3) the flat curved part of a cap that continues beyond the main at the front above your eyes

II UK [piːk] / US [pɪk] adjective [only before noun]
1) a peak time, period etc is when the largest number of people are doing or using something

Travelling at peak times is more expensive.

2) a peak level of something is when it is highest

Peak demand for gas is around 5.30.


III UK [piːk] / US [pɪk] verb [intransitive]
Word forms "peak":
present tense I/you/we/they peak he/she/it peaks present participle peaking past tense peaked past participle peaked
a) to reach the highest standard of performance, before becoming less successful

Many athletes peak in their early 20s.

The trick about winning elections is not to peak too early in the campaign.

b) to reach the highest amount or level, before becoming lower

Interest rates peaked at 19%.


English dictionary. 2014.

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Synonyms:
/ (of a mountain), , , , , , , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • Peak — Peak, n. [OE. pek, AS. peac, perh of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. peac a sharp pointed thing. Cf. {Pike}.] 1. A point; the sharp end or top of anything that terminates in a point; as, the peak, or front, of a cap. Run your beard into a peak. Beau. & Fl …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Peak — 〈[pi:k] m. 6〉 1. 〈Phys.〉 Spitzenwert eines Signals o. Ä. 2. 〈allg.〉 Spitze, Spitzenwert, Höhepunkt 3. Bergspitze, gipfel (bes. in engl. Namen); →a. Pik1 [engl., „Spitze, Gipfel“] * * * Peak [ pi:k; engl. Gipfel, Spitze, Scheitelpunkt], der; s, s …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Peak — Peak, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Peaked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Peaking}.] 1. To rise or extend into a peak or point; to form, or appear as, a peak. [1913 Webster] There peaketh up a mighty high mount. Holand. [1913 Webster] 2. To acquire sharpness of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • peak — peak1 [pēk] vi. [< ?] to become sickly; waste away; droop peak2 [pēk] n. [var. of PIKE5] 1. a tapering part that projects; pointed end or top, as of a cap, roof, etc. 2. part of the hairline coming to a point on the forehead; widow s peak …   English World dictionary

  • Peak — Peak, v. t. (Naut.) To raise to a position perpendicular, or more nearly so; as, to peak oars, to hold them upright; to peak a gaff or yard, to set it nearer the perpendicular. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Peak — (High Peak, spr. hai pīk, P. von Derby), ein breites Plateau mit steilen Wänden und tief eingeschnittenen Tälern im nördlichen Derbyshire (England), das zur Penninischen Kette gehört und vom Derwent, Dove und Wye bewässert wird. Es erreicht im… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Peak — Peak, SC U.S. town in South Carolina Population (2000): 61 Housing Units (2000): 36 Land area (2000): 0.268859 sq. miles (0.696341 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000671 sq. miles (0.001738 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.269530 sq. miles (0.698079 sq …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Peak, SC — U.S. town in South Carolina Population (2000): 61 Housing Units (2000): 36 Land area (2000): 0.268859 sq. miles (0.696341 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000671 sq. miles (0.001738 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.269530 sq. miles (0.698079 sq. km) FIPS …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • peak — pointed top, 1520s, variant of PIKE (Cf. pike) (2) sharp point. Meaning top of a mountain first recorded 1630s, though pike was used in this sense c.1400. Figurative sense is 1784. Meaning point formed by hair on the forehead is from 1833. The… …   Etymology dictionary

  • peak — [n1] top of something aiguille, alp, apex, brow, bump, cope, crest, crown, hill, mount, mountain, pinnacle, point, roof, spike, summit, tip, vertex; concepts 509,836 Ant. base, bottom, nadir peak [n2] maximum, zenith acme, apex, apogee, capstone …   New thesaurus

  • peak|y — «PEE kee», adjective, peak|i|er, peak|i|est. 1. peaked or pointed; peaklike. 2. abounding in peaks …   Useful english dictionary

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