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Peep vs Peek - What's the difference?

peep | peek |

As verbs the difference between peep and peek

is that peep is to make a soft, shrill noise like a baby bird while peek is to look slyly, or with the eyes half closed, or through a crevice; to peep.

As acronyms the difference between peep and peek

is that peep is a World War II jeep attached to an armored regiment while PEEK is polyetheretherketone.

As a noun peep

is a quiet sound, particularly one from a baby bird.

peep

English

Etymology 1

Onomatopoeic, from (etyl) pepen

Noun

(en noun)
  • A quiet sound, particularly one from a baby bird.
  • A feeble utterance or complaint.
    • I don't want to hear a peep out of you !
  • The sound of a steam engine's whistle; typically shrill.
    • 2001 , , Thomas the tank engine collection : a unique collection of stories from the railway series - p. 177 - Egmont Books, Limited, Aug 15, 2001
    "Peep', ' peep ," said Edward, "I'm ready."
    "Peep', '''peep''', ' peep ," said Henry, "so am I."
  • A kind of bird; a sandpiper.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make a soft, shrill noise like a baby bird.
  • To speak briefly with a quiet voice.

    • Etymology 2

    From (etyl)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To look, especially while trying not to be seen or noticed.
  • :
  • *
  • *:And it was while all were passionately intent upon the pleasing and snake-like progress of their uncle that a young girl in furs, ascending the stairs two at a time, peeped perfunctorily into the nursery as she passed the hallway—and halted amazed.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1959, author=(Georgette Heyer), title=(The Unknown Ajax), chapter=1
    • , passage=But Richmond
  • To begin to appear; to look forth from concealment; to make the first appearance.
  • *(John Dryden) (1631-1700)
  • *:When flowers first peeped , and trees did blossoms bear.
    • Hypernyms
    * glance

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A quick look or glimpse, especially a furtive one.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1907 , title=(The Spell of the Yukon and Other Verses) , author=Robert W. Service , chapter=(The Cremation of Sam McGee) , passage=I was sick with dread, but I bravely said: "I'll just take a peep inside. / I guess he's cooked, and it's time I looked";. . . then the door I opened wide.}}

    Derived terms

    * bo-peep * by-peep * peeper, peepers * peep pixels * peep show * peeping tom * pixel peeper

    Etymology 3

    Of uncertain origin

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A spot on a die or domino.
    • Synonyms
    * (spot on die or domino) pip

    Etymology 4

    , a shortened form of people.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (British, slang) person.
    • English onomatopoeias English palindromes

    peek

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l), (l) (obsolete)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) *, probably a fusion of peep and keek.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To look slyly, or with the eyes half closed, or through a crevice; to peep.
  • To be only slightly, partially visible, as if peering out from a hiding place.
  • * 2012 , Rachel Kramer Bussel, Going Down: Oral Sex Stories (ISBN 1573447978):
    • A pale strip of white skin peeked out from under his waistband.
  • * 2012 , Michelle Monkou, If I Had You (ISBN 1459223284):
    • Her brown skin peeked through the empty gap in her clothing.
  • (computing) To retrieve (a value) from a memory address.
  • * 2006 , Gary Willoughby, PureBasic: A Beginner's Guide to Computer Programming (page 279)
    • We are peeking the value from the first index's memory location.

    Related terms

    * sneak peek

    Etymology 2

    Verb

    (head)

    • Anagrams

    * * *