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piques

/piːks/
Meanings
  • Verb

    To excite or provoke (someone) into action or feeling, especially by something that is intriguing or challenging.

    - "The mystery novel piqued my interest."
    - "The customer's complaint piqued the manager's anger."
    - "The new job offer piqued her curiosity."
  • Noun

    A sharp point or projection.

    - "The porcupine has many piques."
    - "The arrowhead has a sharp pique."
    - "The thorny plant had many piques."
Synonyms

excite , stimulate , fret , irritate , nettle , sting
Rhymes
Words rhyming with piques
piques , miques , iques , queues
Variants
List of all variants of piques that leads to same result
pique , piqued , piques , piquing
Etymology
origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

From Old French piquer 'to prick', from piq 'point, needle'.

Trivia
Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

  1. The word 'piques' comes from the Old French word 'piquer', which means 'to prick' or 'to sting'.

  2. The porcupine is known for its piques, or quills, which it uses as a defense mechanism.

  3. In French cuisine, 'piques' is a term used to describe small pieces of meat or fish that are skewered and grilled.

Related Concepts
informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

  1. Curiosity: A strong desire to learn or know something. Piques can be seen as a form of curiosity that excites or provokes action or feeling.

  2. Intrigue: A feeling of excitement and curiosity, often caused by a mysterious or secretive situation. Piques can also refer to the act of intriguing or provoking someone.

Quotes
Quotes by authors and personalities

  1. Some environmentalists worry that the natural behavior patterns of whales are being altered by tourist boats that "pique" the animals' curiosity.

    - Jack McCallum,{it}Sports Illustrated{/it},21 Aug. 1989

  2. In case your interest is being "piqued" just an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny … bit, the Davis Cup will confuse you totally by calling every competition between contending teams a "tie."

    - Frank Deford,{it}Sports Illustrated{/it},11 Apr. 1988

  3. The first chorus … stirred my heart, the second "piqued" my sense of camp and the rest of them had me checking my watch.

    - David Gates,{it}Newsweek{/it},4 Mar. 2002

  4. The posthumous revelation of Cheever's alcoholism, numerous infidelities and bisexuality may have "piqued" interest precisely because he presented himself so earnestly as the Man in the Brooks Brothers Suit.

    - Mary Gordon,{it}New York Times Book Review{/it},6 Oct. 1991
Culture
Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

In literature, 'piques' is used metaphorically to describe the intrigue or curiosity that excites or provokes someone. In art, it can refer to the sharp points or projections on an object.

How to Memorize "piques"

  1. visualize

    - Imagine a sharp point or projection, like the tip of a porcupine quill or an arrowhead. Visualize how it excites or provokes a response, such as curiosity or anger.

  2. associate

    - Associate the word 'piques' with the feeling of excitement or curiosity it brings. Imagine the sensation of being intrigued or provoked.

  3. mnemonics

    - Use the acronym P-I-Q-U-E-S to remember the meaning of 'piques': Provokes Interest and Quenches Understanding, Excites and Stimulates.

Memorize "piques" using Dictozo

The best and recommended way to memorize piques is, by using Dictozo. Just save the word in Dictozo extension and let the app handle the rest. It enhances the memorization process in two ways:

  1. Highlighting:

    Whenever users encounters the saved word on a webpage, Dictozo highlights it, drawing the user's attention and reinforcing memorization.

  2. Periodic Reminders:

    Dictozo will send you periodic reminders to remind you the saved word, it will ask you quiz. These reminders could be in the form of notifications or emails, prompting users to recall and reinforce their knowledge.

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