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Webster 1913 Edition

Pique

‖

Piˊqué′

,
Noun.
[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.

Pique

,
Noun.
(Zool.)
The jigger. See
Jigger
.

Pique

,
Noun.
[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.
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.

Pique

,
Verb.
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.

Pique

,
Verb.
I.
To cause annoyance or irritation.
“Every verse hath something in it that piques.”
Tatler.

Webster 1828 Edition

Pique

PIQUE

,
Noun.
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

,
Verb.
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.

Definition 2024

Pique

Pique

See also: pique and piqué

German

Noun

Pique n ‎(genitive Piques, plural Piques)

  1. Alternative spelling of Pik

pique

pique

See also: Pique and piqué

English

Noun

pique ‎(countable and uncountable, plural piques)

  1. A feeling of enmity between two entities; ill-feeling, animosity; a transient feeling of wounded pride.
    • Dr. H. More
      Men take up piques and displeasures.
    • De Quincey
      Wars had arisen […] upon a personal pique.
  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.
    • Sweet Smell of Success (1957) screenplay by Clifford Odets and Ernest Lehman, starring Burt Lancaster as J.J. Hunsecker who says:
      You think this is a personal thing with me? Are you telling me I think of this in terms of a personal pique?
  3. (obsolete) Keenly felt desire; a longing.
    • Hudibras
      Though it have the pique, and long, / 'Tis still for something in the wrong.
Translations

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 excite to anger.
    • 1913, D.H. Lawrence, Sons and Lovers, chapter 11
      She treated him indulgently, as if he were a child. He thought he did not mind. But deep below the surface it piqued him.
    • Byron
      Pique her and soothe in turn.
  2. (reflexive) To take pride in; to pride oneself on.
    • John Locke
      Men […] pique themselves upon their skill.
  3. (transitive) To excite (someone) to action by causing resentment or jealousy; to stimulate (a feeling, emotion); to offend by slighting.
    I believe this will pique your interest.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Prior to this entry?)
Translations

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. A chigger or jigger, Tunga penetrans.

Etymology 4

From French piqué from past participle of French piquer ‎(“to prick, quilt”)

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈpiːkeɪ/

Noun

pique ‎(countable and uncountable, plural piques)

  1. A durable ribbed fabric made from cotton, rayon, or silk.

References

  1. ↑ “pique” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).

Anagrams

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pik/

Noun

pique f ‎(plural piques)

  1. pike, lance
  2. (card games) spade (as a card suit)
    quatre de pique‎
    four of spades

Verb

pique

  1. first-person singular present indicative of piquer
  2. third-person singular present indicative of piquer
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of piquer
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of piquer
  5. second-person singular imperative of piquer

See also

Suits in French · couleurs (layout · text)
cœur carreau pique trèfle

Middle French

Noun

pique f (plural piques)

  1. Alternative form of picque

Portuguese

Etymology

From Middle French picque ‎(“a prick, sting”), from Old French pic ‎(“a sharp point”).

Pronunciation

Noun

pique m (plural piques)

  1. any spear
  2. or specifically a pike
  3. hide-and-seek (game)

Synonyms

Derived terms

  • a pique, ir a pique

Verb

pique

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

Spanish

Noun

pique m ‎(plural piques)

  1. (card games) spade
  2. downward movement
    irse a pique (sink [for a ship])
  3. hit, fix (of drugs)
  4. rivalry, needle, loggerheads
  5. grudge match

Derived terms

  • a pique
  • irse a pique

Verb

pique

  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.

Etymology

French.

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