Pique \Pique\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Piqued}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Piquing}.] [F. piquer. See {Pike}.] 1. To wound the pride of; to sting; to nettle; to irritate; to fret; to offend; to excite to anger.
Pique her, and soothe in turn. --Byron.
2. To excite to action by causing resentment or jealousy; to stimulate; to prick; as, to pique ambition, or curiosity. --Prior.
3. To pride or value; -- used reflexively.
Men . . . pique themselves upon their skill. --Locke.
Pique \Pique\, n. (Zo["o]l.) The jigger. See {Jigger}.
Pique \Pique\, n. [F., fr. piquer. See {Pike}.] 1. A feeling of hurt, vexation, or resentment, awakened by a social slight or injury; irritation of the feelings, as through wounded pride; stinging vexation.
Men take up piques and displeasures. --Dr. H. More.
Wars had arisen . . . upon a personal pique. --De Quincey.
2. Keenly felt desire; a longing.
Though it have the pique, and long, 'Tis still for something in the wrong. --Hudibras.
3. (Card Playing) In piquet, the right of the elder hand to count thirty in hand, or to play before the adversary counts one.
Syn: Displeasure; irritation; grudge; spite.
Usage: {Pique}, {Spite}, {Grudge}. Pique denotes a quick and often transient sense of resentment for some supposed neglect or injury, but it is not marked by malevolence. Spite is a stronger term, denoting settled ill will or malice, with a desire to injure, as the result of extreme irritation. Grudge goes still further, denoting cherished and secret enmity, with an unforgiving spirit. A pique is usually of recent date; a grudge is that which has long subsisted; spite implies a disposition to cross or vex others.
Pique \Pique\, v. i. To cause annoyance or irritation. ``Every verse hath something in it that piques.'' --Tatler.
Saturday mornings were already less than lucrative for the networks, and the pique over the meters is renewing rumblings about cancellations.
Yet Mr. Bush dropped plans to see King Hussein late last year in Europe because of pique at another speech the king had given that was critical of the U.S. and sympathetic to Iraq.
The evening wear was sparse but did feature some fitted and full-skirted dresses, some with chiffon halter necklines and skirts, others with long, fitted torsoes in black lace and white pique.
An offer of $13 "wouldn't even pique our interest," he says.
Helping the strongman flee the country would likely pique the United States, which invaded Panama last week to try to capture the strongman and bring him to trial on drug charges.
Within the EC, there would be no frontier checks unless they were imposed by England in a fit of pique.
For this peppy new line, he teamed the cropped pants with fitted jackets that had big puffy sleeves in colors like bright yellow and turquoise damasked cotton pique.
Gossamer-light luxury fabrics made these clothes look lighter than ever, though Yves Saint Laurent won kudos for his sleek white suits in heavy pique, ridged tussore, and Shantung silk.
New money, tied up in real estate, doesn't flow in because owners fear selling real estate may pique the interest of tax collectors who have been ordered to crack down on land speculators.
Pique Performance Some golfers, when they miss a shot, Find it hard to conceal their pique.
If he betrays an occasional pique it's because his wife, also an economist, cannot join him since she has been denied an exit visa 10 times.
Some analysts also expressed pique that the company had known for some time that the profit estimates were too high.
That translates to a commanding but relaxed presence and an ability to convey accomplishments and pique the interviewer's interest quickly.