pique
PEEKverbMeaning to stir up interest or curiosity
Memory hook one PEEK PIQUES your interest. Through a knothole in the fence, Zoe takes one peek at the new neighbor’s puppy, and that peek piques her curiosity.
The movie trailer was made to pique your curiosity without giving away the ending.
In context The museum hoped the giant dinosaur skeleton in the lobby would pique visitors’ interest and draw them deeper into the exhibits.
Similar arouse, stir, spark, kindle
Opposite dull, deaden
From French piquer, “to prick, sting.”