ENGLISH
REFERENCE

peep

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈpip// UK //pˈiːp// peep Archaic Informal Slang

n. a quick or secret look at something. You often use it when you are trying to see something without being noticed.

n. a brief or furtive look, often through a small opening or from a concealed position.


SIMPLE

I took a quick peep through the curtains to see who was there.

CONTEXTUAL

The children tried to get a peep at their birthday presents hidden in the top of the closet.

COMPLEX

After hours of waiting in the blind, the photographer finally caught a peep of the rare leopard emerging from the dense undergrowth.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English pepen. Compare Dutch piepen (“peep”), German Low German piepen (“to peep”), German piepen and pfeifen, all probably onomatopoeic.

Etymology 2

From Middle English pepen, variant of piken.

Etymology 3

Uncertain; perhaps variant of pip.

Etymology 4

Back-formation from peeps, a shortened form of people.

Etymology 5

Genericized trademark from the confection brand Peeps.

Usage

Commonly used in the phrase 'take a peep' or 'have a peep'.

Idioms1 entry

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