peep

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   appear as though from hiding

   the new moon peeped through the tree tops

2. 2
   verb

   cause to appear

   I peeped my head through the window and saw an elephant bathing itself with its eleven foot long trunk.

3. 3
   verb

   look furtively

   The children peeped at their gifts in advance of the holiday.

4. 4
   noun

   A feeble utterance or complaint.

   I don't want to hear a peep out of you!

5. 5
   noun

   The sound of a steam engine's whistle; typically shrill.

   With a "peep" from a high-pitched whistle, the train would leave by the crossover to the down line, […].

6. 6
   noun

   A sandpiper or other small wader.

   When I spotted two small warm-brown scaley-plumaged ‘peeps’ with yellow legs, my commentary immediately identified them as Least Sandpipers.

7. 7
   verb

   To look, especially through a narrow opening, or while trying not to be seen or noticed.

   The man peeped through the small hole.

8. 8
   verb

   To begin to appear; to look forth from concealment; to make the first appearance.

   When flowers first peeped, and trees did blossoms bear.

Etymology

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