What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Creep vs Dread - What's the difference?

creep | dread |

As a proper noun creep

is (derogatory) the committee]] to re-elect the president, which raised money for [[w:richard nixon|richard nixon's campaign for 1972 reelection.

As a verb dread is

to fear greatly.

As a noun dread is

great fear in view of impending evil; fearful apprehension of danger; anticipatory terror.

As an adjective dread is

terrible; greatly feared.

creep

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) crepen, from (etyl) .

Verb

  • To move slowly with the abdomen close to the ground.
  • Lizards and snakes crept over the ground.
  • * 1922 , (Margery Williams), (The Velveteen Rabbit)
  • One evening, while the Rabbit was lying there alone, watching the ants that ran to and fro between his velvet paws in the grass, he saw two strange beings creep out of the tall bracken near him.
  • Of plants, to grow across a surface rather than upwards.
  • To move slowly and quietly in a particular direction.
  • He tried to creep past the guard without being seen.
  • To make small gradual changes, usually in a particular direction.
  • Prices have been creeping up all year.
  • To move in a stealthy or secret manner; to move imperceptibly or clandestinely; to steal in; to insinuate itself or oneself.
  • Old age creeps upon us.
  • * John Locke
  • the sophistry which creeps into most of the books of argument
  • To slip, or to become slightly displaced.
  • The collodion on a negative, or a coat of varnish, may creep in drying.
    The quicksilver on a mirror may creep .
  • To move or behave with servility or exaggerated humility; to fawn.
  • a creeping sycophant
  • * Shakespeare
  • to come as humbly as they used to creep
  • To have a sensation as of insects creeping on the skin of the body; to crawl.
  • The sight made my flesh creep .
  • To drag in deep water with creepers, as for recovering a submarine cable.
  • Synonyms
    * (move slowly with the abdomen close to the ground) crawl * (grow across a surface rather than upwards) * (move slowly and quietly in a particular direction) * (make small gradual changes)
    Derived terms
    * creep up on * creepy / creepy-crawly * give someone the creeps * creep someone out

    Etymology 2

    From the above verb.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The movement of something that creeps (like worms or snails)
  • A relatively small gradual change, variation or deviation (from a planned value) in a measure.
  • A slight displacement of an object: the slight movement of something
  • The gradual expansion or proliferation of something beyond its original goals or boundaries, considered negatively.
  • Christmas creep'''. Feature '''creep'''. Instruction '''creep'''. Mission ' creep
  • (publishing) In sewn books, the tendency of pages on the inside of a quire to stand out farther than those on the outside of it.
  • (materials science) An increase in strain with time; the gradual flow or deformation of a material under stress.
  • (geology) The imperceptible downslope movement of surface rock.
  • (informal, pejorative) An annoying irritating person
  • (informal, pejorative) A frightening and/or disconcerting person, especially one who gives the speaker chills or who induces psychosomatic facial itching.
  • Stop following me, you creep !
  • (agriculture) A barrier with small openings used to keep large animals out while allowing smaller animals to pass through.
  • Derived terms
    * bracket creep * Christmas creep * feature creep * focus creep * function creep ((function creep)) * instruction creep ((instruction creep)) * mission creep ((mission creep)) * requirement creep ((requirement creep)) * scope creep * season creep

    dread

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To fear greatly.
  • To anticipate with fear.
  • I'm dreading getting the results of the test, as it could decide my whole life.
  • * 1877 , (Anna Sewell), (Black Beauty) Chapter 22[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Black_Beauty/22]
  • Day by day, hole by hole our bearing reins were shortened, and instead of looking forward with pleasure to having my harness put on as I used to do, I began to dread it.
  • To be in dread, or great fear.
  • * Bible, Deuteronomy i. 29
  • Dread not, neither be afraid of them.

    Derived terms

    * dreadable * dreadworthy

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Great fear in view of impending evil; fearful apprehension of danger; anticipatory terror.
  • * Tillotson
  • the secret dread of divine displeasure
  • * Shakespeare
  • the dread of something after death
  • * '>citation
  • Reverential or respectful fear; awe.
  • * Bible, Genesis ix 2.
  • The fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of the earth.
  • * Shakespeare
  • His sceptre shows the force of temporal power, / The attribute to awe and majesty, / Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.
  • Somebody or something dreaded.
  • (obsolete) A person highly revered.
  • * Spenser
  • Una, his dear dread
  • (obsolete) Fury; dreadfulness.
  • (Spenser)
  • A Rastafarian.
  • (chiefly, in the plural) dreadlock
  • Adjective

    (er)
  • Terrible; greatly feared.
  • (archaic) Awe-inspiring; held in fearful awe.
  • *
  • See also

    * dreadlocks * dreadnought

    Anagrams

    * * *