peak

peak
1 noun (C)
1 TIME (usually singular) the time when something or someone is strongest, most successful, or best: Her career was at its peak. | Sales have reached a new peak. | be at your peak/reach your peak: Most athletes have reached their peak by the time they're 20.
—compare off­peak
2 MOUNTAIN
a) the sharply pointed top of a mountain: peaks covered with snow all the year round
—compare summit (1)
b) a whole mountain with a pointed top: K2 is the world's highest peak.
3 POINT a part that curves to a point above a surface: Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
4 CAP the flat curved part of a cap that sticks out in front above your eyes
2 verb (I) to reach the highest point or level: Sales peaked in August, then fell sharply. (+ at): Around 1950 Chicago's population peaked at about 3.6 million. 3 adjective
1 peak level/rate/value the highest level etc of something: The factory is running at peak productivity.
2 BrE the peak time or period is when the greatest number of people are doing the same thing, using the same service etc: the peak time for electricity consumption | Extra buses run at peak times.

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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  • 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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