Library / English Dictionary

PEAK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A brim that projects to the front to shade the eyes

Example:

he pulled down the bill of his cap and trudged ahead

Synonyms:

bill; eyeshade; peak; visor; vizor

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("peak" is a kind of...):

brim (a circular projection that sticks outward from the crown of a hat)

Holonyms ("peak" is a part of...):

baseball cap; golf cap; jockey cap (a cap with a bill)

kepi; peaked cap; service cap; yachting cap (a cap with a flat circular top and a visor)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The top or extreme point of something (usually a mountain or hill)

Example:

the region is a few molecules wide at the summit

Synonyms:

crest; crown; peak; summit; tip; top

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Hypernyms ("peak" is a kind of...):

place; spot; topographic point (a point located with respect to surface features of some region)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "peak"):

brow; hilltop (the peak of a hill)

pinnacle (a lofty peak)

mountain peak (the summit of a mountain)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The highest point (of something)

Example:

at the peak of the pyramid

Synonyms:

acme; apex; peak; vertex

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Hypernyms ("peak" is a kind of...):

extreme; extreme point; extremum (the point located farthest from the middle of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "peak"):

crown (the part of a hat (the vertex) that covers the crown of the head)

roof peak (the highest point of a roof)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The most extreme possible amount or value

Example:

voltage peak

Synonyms:

extremum; peak

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Hypernyms ("peak" is a kind of...):

limit; limitation (the greatest amount of something that is possible or allowed)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "peak"):

lower limit; minimum (the smallest possible quantity)

maximum; upper limit (the largest possible quantity)

Derivation:

peak (to reach the highest point; attain maximum intensity, activity)

peaky (having or as if having especially high-pitched spots)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A V shape

Example:

the cannibal's teeth were filed to sharp points

Synonyms:

peak; point; tip

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Hypernyms ("peak" is a kind of...):

convex shape; convexity (a shape that curves or bulges outward)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "peak"):

head (the tip of an abscess (where the pus accumulates))

cusp (small elevation on the grinding surface of a tooth)

widow's peak (a V-shaped point in the hairline in the middle of the forehead)

Holonyms ("peak" is a part of...):

cone; cone shape; conoid (a shape whose base is a circle and whose sides taper up to a point)

blade; brand; steel; sword (a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard)

pencil (a thin cylindrical pointed writing implement; a rod of marking substance encased in wood)

knife (a weapon with a handle and blade with a sharp point)

arrowhead (the pointed head or striking tip of an arrow)

alpenstock (a stout staff with a metal point; used by mountain climbers)

Sense 6

Meaning:

The highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development

Example:

at the top of his profession

Synonyms:

acme; elevation; height; meridian; peak; pinnacle; summit; superlative; tiptop; top

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("peak" is a kind of...):

degree; level; point; stage (a specific identifiable position in a continuum or series or especially in a process)

Derivation:

peak (to reach the highest point; attain maximum intensity, activity)

Sense 7

Meaning:

The period of greatest prosperity or productivity

Synonyms:

bloom; blossom; efflorescence; flower; flush; heyday; peak; prime

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Hypernyms ("peak" is a kind of...):

period; period of time; time period (an amount of time)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "peak"):

golden age (a time period when some activity or skill was at its peak)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

To reach the highest point; attain maximum intensity, activity

Example:

Bids for the painting topped out at $50 million

Synonyms:

peak; top out

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "peak" is one way to...):

arrive at; attain; gain; hit; make; reach (reach a destination, either real or abstract)

"Peak" entails doing...:

arise; come up; go up; lift; move up; rise; uprise (move upward)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "peak"):

crest (reach a high point)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

peak (the most extreme possible amount or value)

peak (the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Instead, a stiffer material, most likely water-ice, created the peaks.

(The Icy Mountains of Pluto, NASA)

Decreased time following drug administration at which the peak drug blood concentration occurs.

(Decreased Time To Peak Drug Blood Concentration, NCI Thesaurus)

Decreased maximum (peak) concentration of a drug observed after its administration.

(Decreased Peak Drug Blood Concentration, NCI Thesaurus)

Increased time following concomitant drug administration at which the peak drug blood concentration occurs.

(Increased Time To Concomitant Drug Peak Blood Concentration, NCI Thesaurus)

The minimum duration (time) between successive peaks of R waves in a particular set of RR intervals.

(Minimum RR Duration, NCI Thesaurus)

An electrocardiographic finding of P waves with two peaks longer in duration than normal and amplitude greater than normal.

(P Wave Notched by ECG Finding, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

Peak exposure to a harmful substance or radiation may increase the risk of certain diseases or conditions.

(Peak exposure, NCI Dictionary)

Increased maximum (peak) concentration of a drug observed after its administration.

(Increased Peak Drug Blood Concentration, NCI Thesaurus)

The peak incidence is in the sixth and seven decades.

(Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma, NCI Thesaurus)

Increased maximum (peak) concentration of a concomitant drug observed after its administration.

(Increased Concomitant Drug Peak Blood Concentration, NCI Thesaurus)