PEAKING

Verb

peaking

present participle of peak

Noun

peaking (plural peakings)

The act of something reaching a peak.

Adjective

peaking (comparative more peaking, superlative most peaking)

peaky; sickly; pining

Source: Wiktionary

Peak"ing, a.

1. Mean; sneaking. [Vulgar]

2. Pining; sickly; peakish. [Colloq.]

PEAK

Peak, n. Etym: [OE. pek, AS. peac, perh of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. peac a sharp-pointed thing. Cf. Pike.]

1. A point; the sharp end or top of anything that terminates in a point; as, the peak, or front, of a cap. "Run your beard into a peak." Beau. & Fl.

2. The top, or one of the tops, of a hill, mountain, or range, ending in a point; often, the whole hill or mountain, esp. when isolated; as, the Peak of Teneriffe. Silent upon a peak in Darien. Keats.

3. (Naut.) (a) The upper aftermost corner of a fore-and-aft sail; -- used in many combinations; as, peak-halyards, peak-brails, etc. (b) The narrow part of a vessel's bow, or the hold within it. (c) The extremity of an anchor fluke; the bill. [In the last sense written also pea and pee.] Fore peak. (Naut.) See under Fore.

Peak, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Peaked; p. pr. & vb. n. Peaking.]

1. To rise or extend into a peak or point; to form, or appear as, a peak. There peaketh up a mighty high mount. Holand.

2. To acquire sharpness of figure or features; hence, to look thin or sicky. "Dwindle, peak, and pine." Shak.

3. Etym: [Cf. Peek.]

Definition: To pry; to peep slyly. Shak. Peak arch (Arch.), a pointed or Gothic arch.

Peak, v. t. (Naut.)

Definition: To raise to a position perpendicular, or more nearly so; as, to peak oars, to hold them upright; to peak a gaff or yard, to set it nearer the perpendicular.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition