If You Keep Peeking Over that Peak, I’m Going to Get Seriously Piqued!
Some more sound-alikes to cause you trouble.
A peak is the top of something, like a mountain. It’s a noun.
Examples: Everest is the highest mountain peak on Earth. Bob reached the peak of his career in 1998.
To peak means to reach the topmost limit of ability or performance. It’s a verb.
Example: His lifting ability peaked at 250 pounds.
To peek is to take a furtive look at something. It’s similar to peep. It’s a verb.
Example: If you don’t stop peeking in the gift boxes, I will spank you.
To pique is to make irritated or angry, or to arouse (as in to pique interest). It’s from the same root as piquant and picante. It can be used as either a verb or a noun:
Example — verb: His incessant hints about the surprise party piqued my interest.
Example — noun: Her pique was such that she could think of nothing but his comment.
Just to make it interesting, peaked (/pee-kid/) and peaky can be thrown into the mix. Both mean pale or ill and are used as adjectives, as in She looks a bit peaked this morning; I hope she’s not coming down with something.
Hope this clears up the confusion. I get a bit piqued when I read that someone’s interest was peaked or that they peaked through the curtains.
6 Comments
What about piquing one’s interest?
Editormum. I hope this piques the interest of writers. THANK YOU
And you didn’t even have to mention the card game, piquet, played in the early 1800’s. During play one declares “points,” which leads to the name from the French “piquer,” to prick. “Piquer” is also the word which evolved into picket, as in “picket fence.”
Oddly Enough, Gryphon,
I thought about putting piquet in there just for fun … used to be a card game, now a fabric used for light summer clothes. I was afraid it would confuse the ranks. Thanks for reading!
Sorry, the fabric is “pique.” Still comes from the same root.
And you’re right, of course. Even the Grammar Guru learns something every day.