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peak1
—peakless, adj. —peaklike, adj./peek/, n.1. the pointed top of a mountain or ridge.2. a mountain with a pointed summit.3. the pointed top of anything.4. the highest or most important point or level: the peak of her political career.5. the maximum point, degree, or volume of anything: Oil prices reached their peak last year.6. 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.7. the higher fare, charges, etc., during such a period: If you fly during the Christmas holidays, you'll have to pay peak.8. Physics.a. the maximum value of a quantity during a specified time interval: a voltage peak.b. the maximum power consumed or produced by a unit or group of units in a stated period of time.9. 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. Phonet. nucleus (def. 8a).13. Naut.a. the contracted part of a ship's hull at the bow or the stern.b. the upper after corner of a sail that is extended by a gaff. See diag. under sail.c. the outer extremity of a gaff.v.i.14. to project in a peak.15. to attain a peak of activity, development, popularity, etc.: The artist peaked in the 1950s.v.t.16. Naut. to raise the after end of (a yard, gaff, etc.) to or toward an angle above the horizontal.adj.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.[1520-30; perh. < MLG pek pick, pike]Syn. 2, 4. pinnacle. 4. acme, zenith.Ant. 4. abyss, nadir.peak2—peakish, adj. —peakishly, adv. —peakishness, n./peek/, v.i.to become weak, thin, and sickly.[1500-10; orig. uncert.]
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(as used in expressions)Adam's Peak* * *
Universalium. 2010.
