piques

Noun (1)

pique (countable and uncountable, plural piques)

1. (uncountable) Enmity, ill feeling; (countable) a feeling of animosity or a dispute.
   • Men take up piques and diſpleaſures at others, and then every opinion of the diſliked perſon muſt partake of his fate, and be engaged in the quarrel: […]1667, attributed to Richard Allestree, “A Survey of the Causes of Disputes; Fourthly, Passion”, in The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety. […], London: […] R. Norton for T. Garthwait, […], →OCLC...
2. (uncountable) Irritation or resentment awakened by a social injury or slight; offence, especially taken in an emotional sense with little consideration or thought; (countable) especially in fit of pique: a transient feeling of wounded pride.
   • Tuſh! tuſh! you take the grave peake uppon you too much: who would think you could ſo eaſily ſhake off your olde friendes?1592, Tho[mas] Nashe, “The Foure Letters Confuted”, in Strange Newes, of the Intercepting Certaine Letters and a Convoy of Verses, […], London: […] Iohn Danter, […], →OCLC; republished in J[ohn]...
3. (countable, obsolete) In pique of honour: a matter, a point.
   • Add long preſcription of eſtabliſh'd laws, / And picque of honour to maintain a cauſe, / And ſhame of change, and fear of future ill, / And Zeal, the blind conductor of the will; […]1687, [John Dryden], “The Third Part”, in The Hind and the Panther. A Poem, in Three Parts, 2nd edition, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC, pages 95–96

Noun (2)

pique (plural piques)

1. In piquet, the right of the elder hand to count thirty in hand, or to play before the adversary counts one.
   • Flip[panta]. Hark thee, Braſs, the Game's in our hands, if we can but play the Cards. / Br[ass]. Pique and Repique, you Jade you: If the Wives will fall into a good Intelligence.1705, [John Vanbrugh], The Confederacy. A Comedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act III, pages 36–37

Noun (3)

pique (plural piques)

1. (obsolete) A chigger, chigoe, or jigger (Tunga penetrans), a species of tropical flea.
2. midgie, sand fly, punkie, punky (US)

See all 15 meanings of pique