In slang, peak means the best, the top, as good as it gets. People use it to praise a song, an episode or a great evening: this is peak; peak cinema is a film at its very best. With some words it's ironic: peak laziness means laziness at its finest. It's used on social media, in comments and with friends; the tone is excited and often playful.
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this/that is peak; peak + noun (peak cinema, peak comedy); ironic peak + quality (peak laziness)
- The last episode was peak, I didn't see that ending coming at all.
- Fresh snow, an empty slope and hot chocolate afterwards, that's peak.
- Ordering pizza and sleeping till noon on Sunday is peak laziness, and I love it.
What changed
First versionThis new album is a peak, I've listened to it five times today.
RevisionThis new album is peak, I've listened to it five times today.
Peak is familiar as a noun, the top of a mountain, so it's tempting to put a before it. But in slang, peak works as a verdict, like great, and needs no article: this album is peak. A peak is the top of a mountain or a graph.
In British youth slang, peak can also mean the opposite: bad luck, a real shame. Missed the last train? That's peak. The situation tells you which: about a favourite song, it's praise; about a missed train, it's frustration. With a colleague, in IELTS Speaking and in an essay, say brilliant or the best instead of peak: The final episode was brilliant.
Your turn
Best concert of my life: the band played every song I love, and we were in the front row. It was ___.
Show the answer
peak — Best concert of my life, favourite songs, the front row: that's pure delight, and delight is peak. Mid means so-so, average, and it clashes with best concert of my life.
Write to a friend about a moment from last weekend that you really enjoyed. Say what it was and rate it with peak.
Saturday's picnic by the lake with the whole family was peak.
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