pique

Meanings

Noun

• A feeling of enmity; ill-feeling, animosity; a transient feeling of wounded pride.
• A feeling of irritation or resentment, awakened by a social slight or injury; offence, especially taken in an emotional sense with little thought or consideration.
• Keenly felt desire; a longing.
• In piquet, the right of the elder hand to count thirty in hand, or to play before the adversary counts one.
• A chigger or jigger, Tunga penetrans.
• A durable ribbed fabric made from cotton, rayon, or silk.

Verb

• To wound the pride of; to excite to anger.
• To take pride in; to pride oneself on.
• To stimulate (a feeling, emotion); to offend by slighting; to excite (someone) to action by causing resentment or jealousy.
• To score a pique against.

Origin

• From Middle French pique, from Old French pic. pike. Compare Spanish picar.
• From French pic.
• From Spanish pique, from Central Quechua piki.
• From French piqué, past participle of piquer