Definition of 'peak'

peak

(piːk )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense peaks , present participle peaking , past tense, past participle peaked

1. countable noun [usually singular]

The peak of a process or an activity is the point at which it is at its strongest, most successful, or most fully developed.

The party's membership has fallen from a peak of fifty-thousand after the Second World War. [+ of]

The bomb went off in a concrete dustbin at the peak of the morning rush hour. [+ of]

...a flourishing career that was at its peak at the time of his death.

Economies have peaks and troughs.

Synonyms: high point, crown, climax, culmination More Synonyms of peak

2. verb

When something peaks, it reaches its highest value or its highest level.

Temperatures have peaked at over thirty degrees Celsius. [VERB + at]

The crisis peaked in July 1974. [VERB]

His career peaked during the 1970s. [VERB]

Synonyms: culminate, climax, come to a head, be at its height More Synonyms of peak

3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]

The peak level or value of something is its highest level or value.

Calls cost 36p (cheap rate) and 48p (peak rate) per minute.

We bought it at the wrong time and paid the peak price.

4. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]

Peak times are the times when there is most demand for something or most use of something.

It's always crowded at peak times.

During peak periods, reservations are difficult to make at some of the hotels.

5. See also peak time

6. countable noun

A peak is a mountain or the top of a mountain.

...the snow-covered peaks.

Synonyms: point, top, tip, summit More Synonyms of peak

7. countable noun

The peak of a cap is the part at the front that sticks out above your eyes.

The man touched the peak of his cap.

More Synonyms of peak

Video: pronunciation of
peak

peak in British English

(piːk )

noun

a pointed end, edge, or projection

the peak of a roof

the pointed summit of a mountain

a mountain with a pointed summit

the point of greatest development, strength, etc

the peak of my career

a sharp increase in a physical quantity followed by a sharp decrease

a voltage peak

the maximum value of this quantity

(as modifier)

peak voltage

6. Also called: visor

a projecting piece on the front of some caps

a. See widow's peak

the pointed end of a beard

8. nautical

the extreme forward ( forepeak) or aft ( afterpeak) part of the hull

(of a fore-and-aft quadrilateral sail) the after uppermost corner

the after end of a gaff

verb

9. (transitive) nautical

to set (a gaff) or tilt ( oars) vertically

10.

to form or reach or cause to form or reach a peak or maximum

adjective

11.

of or relating to a period of highest use or demand, as for watching television, commuting, etc

peak viewing hours

peak time

Derived forms

peaky (ˈpeaky) or peakish (ˈpeakish)

adjective

Word origin

C16: perhaps from pike2, influenced by beak1; compare Spanish pico, French pic, Middle Low German pēk

peak in American English 1

(pik )

noun

a tapering part that projects; pointed end or top, as of a cap, roof, etc.

part of the hairline coming to a point on the forehead; widow's peak

3. Rare

a promontory

the crest or summit of a hill or mountain ending in a point

a mountain with such a pointed summit

the highest or utmost point of anything; height; maximum

the peak of production

6. Electricity

the maximum value of a varying quantity during a specified period

7. Nautical

the top, after corner of a gaff sail

the upper end of the gaff

the narrowed part of the hull, forward or aft

8. Phonetics

the most sonorous portion of a syllable

adjective

maximum

peak production

verb transitive, verb intransitive

10.

to tilt up, as a spar or oar

11.

to come or cause to come to a peak; reach or bring to a high, or the highest, point

SIMILAR WORDS: ˈsummit

Word origin

var. of pike5

peak in American English 2

(pik )

verb intransitive

to become sickly; waste away; droop

peak in American English 1

(pik)

noun

the pointed top of a mountain or ridge

a mountain with a pointed summit

the pointed top of anything

the highest or most important point or level

the peak of her political career

the maximum point, degree, or volume of anything

Oil prices reached their peak last year

a time of the day or year when traffic, use, demand, etc., is greatest and charges, fares, or the like are at the maximum

Early evening is the peak on commuter railroads

the higher fare, charges, etc., during such a period

If you fly during the Christmas holidays, you'll have to pay peak

8. Physics

the maximum value of a quantity during a specified time interval

a voltage peak

the maximum power consumed or produced by a unit or group of units in a stated period of time

a projecting point

the peak of a man's beard

10. See widow's peak

11.

a projecting front piece, or visor, of a cap

12. Phonetics See nucleus (sense 8a)

13. Nautical

the contracted part of a ship's hull at the bow or the stern

the upper after corner of a sail that is extended by a gaff

the outer extremity of a gaff

intransitive verb

14.

to project in a peak

15.

to attain a peak of activity, development, popularity, etc

The artist peaked in the 1950s

transitive verb

16. Nautical

to raise the after end of (a yard, gaff, etc.) to or toward an angle above the horizontal

adjective

17.

being at the point of maximum frequency, intensity, use, etc.; busiest or most active

Hotel rooms are most expensive during the peak travel seasons

18.

constituting the highest or maximum level, volume, etc.; optimal; prime

a machine running at peak performance

Derived forms

peakless

adjective

peaklike

adjective

Word origin

[1520–30; perh. ‹ MLG pēk pick, pike]

peak in American English 2

(pik)

intransitive verb

to become weak, thin, and sickly

Derived forms

peakish

adjective

peakishly

adverb

peakishness

noun

Word origin

[1500–10; orig. uncert.]

peak in Electrical Engineering

(pik)

adjective

(Electrical engineering: Circuits, Electrical power)

The peak value is the maximum value of an alternating or other waveform.

The peak current observed subsequent to the fault occurrence is essentially due to discharging of the inverter output capacitors.

Since an alternating voltage of 500 volts (rms) has a peak value of 707 volts, a capacitor to which it is applied should have a working voltage of at least 750 volts.

The peak value is the maximum value of an alternating or other waveform.

peak load, peak-to-peak value

Examples of 'peak' in a sentence
peak

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Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.In peak season it could take an hour to go one way.This one is still at peak performance three months in.This is intended to speed up sales processing and provide better service online regardless of demand peaks during busy trading periods.So peaks just above the mountain classification of 2,000ft may now be a few inches too short.At the peak of his career in the mid-1960s he was so busy that he rarely had time to go home. Autumn has reached its peak.He added:' Exactly when the peaks in activity occur can vary.Peak demand now came on summer days rather than winter nights.To wake up and see lochs and mountain peaks gliding past is to feel still more so.