ENGLISH
REFERENCE

creep

v. · n.
US //ˈkɹip// UK //kɹˈiːp// creep
Irregular verb past crept past participle crept
  1. 1 to move quietly (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to move slowly and quietly so that people do not hear or see you.

    to move stealthily or cautiously, often with the body close to the ground, to avoid detection.

    Example

    I tried to creep up the stairs so I wouldn't wake my parents.

    Example

    The burglar attempted to creep through the darkened hallway, mindful of the creaking floorboards that might alert the sleeping residents.
  2. 2 to change slowly (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to happen or change very slowly over a long time.

    to occur or develop gradually and almost imperceptibly.

    Example

    Doubt began to creep into her mind as the deadline approached.

    Example

    Errors began to creep into the data set after the software update, causing significant discrepancies in the final quarterly report.
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  1. 3 to grow along a surface (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to grow along the ground or over a wall instead of growing upwards.

    to grow along a surface by means of extending stems or roots.

    Example

    Ivy started to creep across the old stone walls of the garden.

    Example

    The invasive vines began to creep over the perimeter fence, eventually smothering the native shrubs in the lower garden.
  2. 4 an unpleasant person (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    an unpleasant person who makes you feel nervous or uncomfortable.

    a derogatory term for a person perceived as strange, eccentric, or socially inappropriate, often with a predatory connotation.

    Example

    That guy at the party was a total creep; he wouldn't stop staring at us.

    Example

    She felt uneasy when the stranger followed her into the lift, later describing him to security as a complete creep.
  3. 5 gradual expansion (n.)
    C1 Advanced Academic Formal

    when a project or plan slowly grows bigger than it was supposed to be.

    the gradual expansion of a project, goal, or boundary beyond its original scope, typically viewed as a negative development.

    Example

    We need to finish the project now before more feature creep happens.

    Example

    The manager warned that mission creep was draining the department's resources, distracting the team from their primary objectives.

    Usage

    Often used in the compound 'scope creep' in business contexts.
  4. 6 material deformation (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    the slow change in the shape of a solid material because of heat or pressure.

    the slow, progressive deformation of a solid material under constant mechanical stress.

    Example

    Engineers must consider the creep of the metal when designing jet engines.

    Example

    The structural integrity of the bridge was compromised by thermal creep, as the lead supports had gradually shifted over decades of extreme temperature fluctuations.
  5. 7 geological movement (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    the very slow movement of soil or rocks down a hill.

    the slow, imperceptible downslope movement of surface rock and soil particles.

    Example

    You can see the effects of soil creep by the way the trees lean on the hillside.

    Example

    Geologists monitored the hillside for signs of creep, noting that the fence line had moved several inches since the previous survey.
Origin

From Middle English crepen, from Old English crēopan (“to creep, crawl”), from Proto-West Germanic kreupan, from Proto-Germanic kreupaną (“to twist, creep”), from Proto-Indo-European *grewbʰ- (“to turn, wind”). Cognates Cognate with West Frisian krûpe (“to creep, crawl”), Central Franconian kruffe (“to creep, crawl”), Dutch kruipen (“to creep, crawl”), Low German krepen, krupen (“to creep, crawl”), Danish krybe (“to creep”), Faroese krúpa (“to creep”), Icelandic krjúpa (“to kneel down, to genuflect, to get down on one's knees”), Norwegian Bokmål krype (“to creep”), Norwegian Nynorsk krjupa, krjupe, krypa, krype (“to creep, crawl”), Swedish krypa (“to creep, crawl”). The noun is derived from the verb. Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *grewbʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *kreupaną Proto-West Germanic *kreupan Old English crēopan Middle English crepen English creep

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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