PEEP

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does peep mean? 

• PEEP (noun)
  The noun PEEP has 2 senses:

1. the short weak cry of a young bird

2. a secret look

  Familiarity information: PEEP used as a noun is rare.

• PEEP (verb)
  The verb PEEP has 5 senses:

1. look furtively

2. cause to appear

3. make high-pitched sounds

4. speak in a hesitant and high-pitched tone of voice

5. appear as though from hiding

  Familiarity information: PEEP used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PEEP (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The short weak cry of a young bird

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

cheep; peep

Hypernyms ("peep" is a kind of...):

cry (the characteristic utterance of an animal)

Derivation:

peep (make high-pitched sounds)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A secret look

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

peek; peep

Hypernyms ("peep" is a kind of...):

look; looking; looking at (the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually)

Derivation:

peep (look furtively)

• PEEP (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they peep    ... he / she / it peeps   
Past simple: peeped   
Past participle: peeped   
-ing form: peeping   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Look furtively

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

He peeped at the woman through the window

Hypernyms (to "peep" is one way to...):

look (perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

peep (a secret look)

peeper (a viewer who enjoys seeing the sex acts or sex organs of others)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cause to appear

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

he peeped his head through the window

Hypernyms (to "peep" is one way to...):

show (make visible or noticeable)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make high-pitched sounds

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

cheep; chirp; chirrup; peep

Context example:

the birds were chirping in the bushes

Hypernyms (to "peep" is one way to...):

emit; let loose; let out; utter (express audibly; utter sounds (not necessarily words))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "peep"):

chitter; twitter (make high-pitched sounds, as of birds)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

peep (the short weak cry of a young bird)

peeper (an animal that makes short high-pitched sounds)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Speak in a hesitant and high-pitched tone of voice

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "peep" is one way to...):

mouth; speak; talk; utter; verbalise; verbalize (express in speech)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 5

Meaning:

Appear as though from hiding

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

the new moon peeped through the tree tops

Hypernyms (to "peep" is one way to...):

appear (come into sight or view)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

 Context examples 

By degrees I was brought into another room, whence I peeped into the street, but drew my head back in a fright.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Jekyll was now my city of refuge; let but Hyde peep out an instant, and the hands of all men would be raised to take and slay him.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

In the midst of poverty and want, Felix carried with pleasure to his sister the first little white flower that peeped out from beneath the snowy ground.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

“You know Charley?” peeping round into his face.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Five minutes later I heard steps passing down the passage, and, without striking a light, I opened my door and peeped out, thinking that some one was taken unwell.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

‘Put the papers on the sundial,’ I read, peeping over his shoulder.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The King and Queen had just flown out, so he peeped in and saw five or six young ones lying there.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

“I should like to have a peep at each of them,” said Holmes.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A little gray-coated sand bird came tripping over the beach 'peeping' softly to itself, as if enjoying the sun and sea.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The journey would moreover give her a peep at Jane; and, in short, as the time drew near, she would have been very sorry for any delay.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)