climax

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The point of greatest intensity or force in an ascending series or progression; a culmination. See Synonyms at summit.
2. n. A series of statements or ideas in an ascending order of rhetorical force or intensity.
3. n. The final statement in such a series.
4. n. A moment of great or culminating intensity in a narrative or drama, especially the conclusion of a crisis.
5. n. The turning point in a plot or dramatic action.
6. n. See orgasm.
7. n. A stage in ecological development in which a community of organisms, especially plants, is stable and capable of perpetuating itself. Also called climax community.
8. v. To bring to or reach a climax.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. In rhetoric, originally, such an arrangement of successive clauses that the last important word of one is repeated as the first important word of the next; accumulated epanastrophe; hence (since this arrangement is generally adopted for the sake of graduated increase in force or emphasis), a figure by which a series of clauses or phrases is so arranged that each in turn surpasses the preceding one in intensity of expression or importance of meaning. See anticlimax. An example of climax in both its earlier and its established meaning is found in the following passage: “We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed.” Rom. v. 3, 4.
2. n. In logic: A sorites, or chain of reasoning.
3. n. The sophism called sorites (which see).
4. n. The highest point of intensity, development, etc.; the culmination; acme: as, he was then at the climax of his fortunes.
5. To reach the highest point or climax; culminate.

Wiktionary

1. n. The point of greatest intensity or force in an ascending series; a culmination
2. n. The turning point in a plot or in dramatic action, especially one marking a change in the protagonist's affairs.
3. n. A stage of ecological development in which a community of organisms, is stable and capable of perpetuating itself.
4. n. slang An orgasm.
5. n. rhetoric : Ordering of terms in increasing order of importance or magnitude.
6. n. rhetoric : Anadiplosis.
7. v. To reach or bring to a climax
8. v. To orgasm; to reach orgasm

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. Upward movement; steady increase; gradation; ascent.
2. n. (Rhet.) A figure in which the parts of a sentence or paragraph are so arranged that each succeeding one rises above its predecessor in impressiveness.
3. n. The highest point; the greatest degree.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the most severe stage of a disease
2. n. the decisive moment in a novel or play
3. n. arrangement of clauses in ascending order of forcefulness
4. n. the moment of most intense pleasure in sexual intercourse
5. n. the highest point of anything conceived of as growing or developing or unfolding
6. v. end, especially to reach a final or climactic stage