/ 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 .