PEEP


Meaning of PEEP in English

/ piːp; NAmE / verb , noun

■ verb

1.

[ v ] peep (at sth) to look quickly and secretly at sth, especially through a small opening :

We caught her peeping through the keyhole.

He was peeping at her through his fingers.

Could I just peep inside?

2.

[ v + adv. / prep. ] to be just visible :

The tower peeped above the trees.

The sun peeped out from behind the clouds.

3.

[ v , vn ] to make a short high sound; to make sth make this sound.

■ noun

1.

[ C , usually sing. ] a quick or secret look at sth :

Dave took a quick peep at the last page.

2.

[ sing. ] ( informal ) something that sb says or a sound that sb makes :

We did not hear a peep out of the baby all night.

3.

[ C ] a short high sound like the one made by a young bird or by a whistle

4.

(also peep ˈpeep ) ( BrE ) [ C ] a word for the sound of a car's horn, used especially by children

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WORD ORIGIN

verb senses 1 to 2 and noun sense 1 late 15th cent.: symbolic; compare with peek .

verb sense 3 and noun senses 2 to 4 late Middle English : imitative; compare with cheep .

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.