peaky

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English

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Etymology

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From peak +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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peaky (comparative peakier, superlative peakiest)

  1. Sickly; peaked.
    • 1956 [1880], Johanna Spyri, translated by Eileen Hall, Heidi, page 111:
      Her appetite did not improve, however, and she looked very thin and peaky.
  2. Characterised by peaks.
    • 1842, Alfred Tennyson, “The Palace of Art”, in Poems. [], volume I, London: Edward Moxon, [], →OCLC, page 143:
      Or over hills with peaky tops engrail'd, / And many a tract of palm and rice, / The throne of Indian Cama slowly sail'd / A summer fann'd with spice.
    • 1994, John S. Hares, Duncan Royle, Measuring the value of information technology, page 176:
      A wide spread of possible outcomes will give a relatively flat distribution and so indicate a risky project. A narrow spread of results will give a very peaky graph and indicate a low risk project.

Derived terms

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Translations

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