beep

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun

n. the short sound made by a car horn.

n. the auditory signal produced by a vehicle's horn, typically used as a warning or greeting.

“I heard a quick beep from a car outside and knew my taxi had arrived.”

“A friendly beep from a passing motorist suggested that the driver was a neighbor recognizing the family in the driveway.”

A2 · Elementary

v. to make a short, high sound.

v. to emit a short, high-pitched electronic sound; functions both transitively and intransitively.

“The scanner will beep every time you swipe a new item.”

“The medical monitor began to beep rhythmically, alerting the nursing staff to a change in the patient's heart rate.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal

v. to call someone's phone and let it ring once so they call you back.

v. to signal someone by calling their telephone and hanging up after a single ring to avoid charges or request a callback.

“I don't have any credit left, so I'll just beep you when I'm outside.”

“Before the era of unlimited data plans, students would often beep one another to signal they had arrived at the library.”

C1 · Advanced Humorous · Informal · Slang

v. a funny way to say a 'bad' word or talk about sex, like the sound used to hide words on TV.

v. used as a humorous or euphemistic substitute for taboo language or sexual intercourse, mimicking the censorship tone used in broadcasting.

“If he says that again, they are going to have to beep him out.”

“The comedian used the word 'beep' throughout his set to mock the strict censorship rules of the television network.”