PEEP


Meaning of PEEP in English

I. peep 1 /piːp/ BrE AmE verb

[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Origin: Perhaps from peek ]

1 . [intransitive] to look at something quickly and secretly, especially through a hole or opening SYN peek ⇨ peer

peep into/through/out etc

The door was ajar and Helen peeped in.

Henry peeped through the window into the kitchen.

2 . [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] if something peeps from somewhere, you can just see a small amount of it

peep through/from/out etc

I could see her toes peeping out from under the sheet.

3 . [transitive] informal to look at something because it is interesting or attractive:

On our website you can peep our video interview with R&B’s newest supergroup.

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THESAURUS

▪ look to turn your eyes towards someone or something, so that you can see them:

You should never look directly at the sun.

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After a while, he turned and looked at me.

▪ have/take a look especially spoken to look at something quickly, especially in order to find or check something:

I’ll have a look in my desk.

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Take a look at this!

▪ glance to look at someone or something for a short time and then look quickly away:

Damien glanced nervously at his watch.

▪ peek/peep ( also take a peek/peep ) to look quickly at something. Used especially when you are not supposed to look, or when you are looking through a small gap:

The door was open so he peeked inside.

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Katy peeped at her birthday present on the table.

▪ peer to look very carefully, especially because you cannot see well:

Kenji was peering at the screen.

▪ glare to look at someone in an angry way:

She glared at me as I got up to leave.

▪ stare to look at someone or something for a long time without moving your eyes:

It’s rude to stare.

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She stared straight into the camera.

▪ gaze to look at someone or something for a long time, often without realizing that you are doing it:

She gazed out of the window.

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He lay on his bed gazing at the ceiling.

▪ gape to look at someone or something for a long time, usually with your mouth open, because you are very shocked or surprised:

People gaped at him with wide-open mouths.

▪ regard formal to look at someone or something, especially in a particular way:

He regarded her steadily.

II. peep 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]

[ Sense 1: Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ peep 1 ]

[ Sense 2-3: Date: 1400-1500 ; Origin: From the sound. ]

[ Sense 4: Date: 1900-2000 ; Origin: people ]

1 . a quick or secret look at something

peep at/into

Jon took a peep at his watch.

2 . a peep informal a sound that someone makes, or something that they say, especially a complaint:

There has not been a peep out of them since bedtime.

a peep of protest

3 . a short high sound, like the sound a mouse or a young bird makes:

the peep of a chick

loud peeps from the smoke alarm

4 . ( also peeps ) informal a word meaning ‘people’, used in magazines

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.