Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense creeps, present participle creeping, past tense, past participle crept
1. verb
When people or animals creep somewhere, they move quietly and slowly.
Back I go to the hotel and creep up to my room. [VERB adverb/preposition]
The rabbit creeps away and hides in a hole. [VERB adverb/preposition]
Synonyms: sneak, steal, tiptoe, slink More Synonyms of creep
2. verb
If something creeps somewhere, it moves very slowly.
Mist had crept in again from the sea. [VERB adverb/preposition]
3. verb
If something creeps in or creeps back, it begins to occur or becomes part of something without people realizing or without them wanting it.
Insecurity might creep in. [Vin]
An increasing ratio of mistakes, perhaps induced by tiredness, crept into her game. [VERB + into]
...a proposal that crept through unnoticed at the National Council in December. [VERB adverb/preposition]
Now his other major works are creeping back into concert programmes. [VERB adverb/preposition]
The public are concerned at the creeping privatisation of core police functions. [VERB-ing]
4. verb
If a rate or number creepsup to a higher level, it gradually reaches that level.
The inflation rate has been creeping up to 9.5 per cent. [V + up to]
The average number of students in each class is creeping up from three to four. [Vup]
[Also V adj]
5. countable noun
If you describe someone as a creep, you mean that you dislike them a great deal, especially because they are insincere and flatter people.
[informal, disapproval]
Synonyms: bootlicker [informal], sneak, sycophant, crawler [slang] More Synonyms of creep
6.
See give sb the creeps
7. to make someone's flesh creep
Phrasal verbs:
See creep up on
More Synonyms of creep
creep in British English
(kriːp)
verbWord forms: creeps, creeping or crept(intransitive)
1.
to crawl with the body near to or touching the ground
2.
to move slowly, quietly, or cautiously
3.
to act in a servile way; fawn; cringe
4.
to move or slip out of place, as from pressure or wear
5.
(of plants) to grow along the ground or over rocks, producing roots, suckers, or tendrils at intervals
6.
(of a body or substance) to become permanently deformed as a result of an applied stress, often when combined with heating
7.
to develop gradually
creeping unrest
8.
to have the sensation of something crawling over the skin
9.
(of metals) to undergo slow plastic deformation
noun
10.
the act of creeping or a creeping movement
11. slang
a person considered to be obnoxious or servile
12.
the continuous permanent deformation of a body or substance as a result of stress or heat
13. geology
the gradual downwards movement of loose rock material, soil, etc, on a slope
14.
a slow relative movement of two adjacent parts, structural components, etc
15.
slow plastic deformation of metals
Word origin
Old English crēopan; related to Old Frisian kriāpa, Old Norse krjūpa, Middle Low German krūpen
creep in American English
(krip)
verb intransitiveWord forms: crept or ˈcreeping
1.
to move along with the body close to the ground, as on hands and knees
2.
to move slowly, stealthily, timidly, or furtively
3.
to come on gradually and almost unnoticed
often with up
4.
to cringe; fawn
5.
to grow along the ground or a wall, as some plants
6.
to slip slightly out of position
7. US
to change in shape as the result of constant stress, temperature, etc.
said of materials, metals, etc.
noun
8.
the act of creeping
9.
a creeping movement
10.
the gradual deformation of a material, esp. a metal or alloy, due to constant stress, high temperature, etc.
11. US, Slang
a person regarded as very annoying, disgusting, etc.
12. Geology
the slow, almost imperceptible movement of soil and loose rock down a slope
SIMILAR WORDS: crawl
Idioms:
make one's flesh creep
the creeps
Word origin
ME crepen < OE creopan, to creep, lit., go bent down; akin to Swed krypa < IE base *ger-: see cradle
creep in Mechanical Engineering
(krip)
noun
(Mechanical engineering: Materials)
Creep is the tendency of a solid material to move or change shape slightly as a result of stress that continues for some time.
As the stress continues, the extension of the metal caused by creep eventually leads to failure.
During creep, damage accumulates in the form of internal cavities.
Creep is the tendency of a solid material to move or change shape slightly as a resultof stress that continues for some time.
More idioms containing
creep
make your flesh creep
Examples of 'creep' in a sentence
creep
Little flaws creep in and can be hard to remove.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It was just creeping up on us.
The Sun (2015)
The picture made her realise her weight had crept up without her realising.
The Sun (2008)
The best anyone hoped for was gradual creeping reform.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
United have quietly been creeping back to form.
The Sun (2013)
Doubts crept in as she grew older but her mum refused to discuss it.
The Sun (2012)
The lack had crept up slowly with the years.
various & introduction by Deirdre Chapman A Roomful of Birds - Scottish short stories 1990 (1990)
This means that the cost of home loans is creeping gradually higher.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He should instead creep in by little and little.
The Sun (2016)
Plan how to get back on track if your weight begins to creep up.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
All three deal with problems that creep quietly below the surface of society.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Equity release products have been creeping back.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Doubts creep in only when you are not winning.
The Sun (2006)
Smart sections are slowly creeping across the network without the knowledge of many motorists.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
These challenging ideas creep up gradually on anyone reading this book.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
It just crept up on them while they were busy doing other things.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
My weight just crept up and up.
The Sun (2014)
There are countless examples of the milestone turning into a millstone as the prospect of three figures creeps closer.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Youth unemployment crept closer to one million in the three months to February.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There followed a few years in the regions and a gradual creep back to London.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
With rucksack still strapped to your back, creep closer.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It was a gradual, creeping process.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In other languages
creep
British English: creep /kriːp/ VERB
person If you creep somewhere, you move in a very slow and quiet way.
He crept up the stairs.
American English: creep
Arabic: يَزْحَفُ
Brazilian Portuguese: andar devagar
Chinese: 悄悄地缓慢前进
Croatian: šuljati se
Czech: plížit se
Danish: krybe
Dutch: sluipen
European Spanish: moverse sigilosamente
Finnish: hiipiä
French: ramper
German: schleichen
Greek: έρπω
Italian: avanzare furtivamente
Japanese: こっそり歩く
Korean: 살금살금 움직이다
Norwegian: krype
Polish: skradać się
European Portuguese: arrastar-se
Romanian: a se târî
Russian: красться
Latin American Spanish: moverse lentamente
Swedish: smyga
Thai: เคลื่อนที่อย่างช้าๆ
Turkish: sessizce çıkmak
Ukrainian: крастися
Vietnamese: bò trườn
British English: creep /kriːp/ VERB
animal If an animal creeps, it moves along close to the ground.
The mouse crept across the room.
American English: creep
Arabic: يَزْحَفُ
Brazilian Portuguese: arrastar-se
Chinese: 爬行
Croatian: gmizati
Czech: plazit se
Danish: krybe
Dutch: kruipen
European Spanish: arrastrarse
Finnish: hiipiä
French: ramper
German: kriechen
Greek: έρπω
Italian: strisciare
Japanese: はう
Korean: 기다
Norwegian: krype
Polish: skradać się
European Portuguese: rastejar
Romanian: a se târî
Russian: ползти
Latin American Spanish: arrastrarse
Swedish: krypa
Thai: คลาน
Turkish: geçmek
Ukrainian: плазувати
Vietnamese: bò
British English: creep VERB
When people or animals creep somewhere, they move quietly and slowly.
Back I go to the hotel and creep up to my room.
American English: creep
Brazilian Portuguese: rastejar
Chinese: 悄悄地缓慢行进
European Spanish: moverse sigilosamente
French: ramper
German: schleichen
Italian: andare furtivamente
Japanese: はう
Korean: 살금살금 걷다
European Portuguese: rastejar
Latin American Spanish: moverse sigilosamente
All related terms of 'creep'
soil creep
the gradual downhill movement, under the force of gravity , of soil and loose rock material on a slope
bracket creep
an advance into a higher income tax bracket resulting from an increase in nominal income: the higher taxes, when combined with the effects of inflation , may produce a decline in real income
creep-feeding
the practice of feeding young farm animals (esp piglets , calves , and lambs ) in a sectioned-off part of their indoor environment , in order to prevent the mother from gaining access to the food
creep-grazing
a method of pasture management that allows young farm animals (esp lambs ) to graze part of the pasture before the adults in the group
mission creep
the tendency for a task , esp a military operation , to become unintentionally wider in scope than its initial objectives
season creep
the gradual changing in the length of the seasons , as demonstrated by earlier flowering of plants, etc, thought by many to be caused by climate change
creep up on
If you creep up on someone, you move slowly closer to them without being seen by them.
function creep
the gradual widening of the use of a technology or system beyond the purpose for which it was originally intended, esp when this leads to potential invasion of privacy
make your flesh creep
to make you frightened , distressed , or uncomfortable
make one's flesh creep
(esp of something ghostly ) to frighten and horrify one
to make someone's flesh creep make sb's flesh crawl
If something makes your flesh creep or makes your flesh crawl , it makes you feel disgusted , shocked or frightened .
Chinese translation of 'creep'
creep
(kriːp)
Word forms:ptppcrept
vi
[person, animal]
to creep up/down/into sth蹑(躡)手蹑(躡)脚(腳)地走上/下/进(進)某处(處) (nièshǒunièjiǎo de zǒushàng/xià/jìn mǒuchù)
[mist]
to creep in不知不觉(覺)地到来(來) (bù zhī bù jué de dàolái)
[inflation, rate, price]
to creep up渐(漸)渐(漸)上升 (jiànjiàn shàngshēng)
[mistakes, complacency, doubts]
to creep in渐(漸)渐(漸)产(產)生 (jiànjiàn chǎnshēng)
n(c)
(inf, = person) 马(馬)屁精 (mǎpìjīng) (个(個), gè)
it makes my flesh creep使我毛骨悚然 (shǐ wǒ máo gǔ sǒngrán)
to creep up on sb[person]悄悄靠近某人 (qiāoqiāo kàojìn mǒurén) [feeling]不知不觉(覺)地降临(臨)到某人身上 (bù zhī bù jué de jiànglín dào mǒurén shēn shang)
it gives me the creeps (inf) 这(這)使我毛骨悚然 (zhè shǐ wǒ máo gǔ sǒngrán)
All related terms of 'creep'
to creep in
不知不觉(覺)地到来(來) bù zhī bù jué de dàolái
to creep up
渐(漸)渐(漸)上升 jiànjiàn shàngshēng
to creep up on sb
( person ) 悄悄靠近某人 qiāoqiāo kàojìn mǒurén
it makes my flesh creep
使我毛骨悚然 shǐ wǒ máo gǔ sǒngrán
to creep up/down/into sth
蹑(躡)手蹑(躡)脚(腳)地走上/下/进(進)某处(處) nièshǒunièjiǎo de zǒushàng/xià/jìn mǒuchù
1 (verb)
Definition
to crawl with the body near to or touching the ground
The rabbit crept off and hid in a hole.
Synonyms
crawl
I began to crawl on my hands and knees towards the door.
worm
wriggle
Bauman wriggled along the passage on his stomach.
squirm
He gave a feeble shrug and tried to squirm free.
slither
writhe
He was writhing on the floor in agony.
drag yourself
I managed to drag myself to the surgery.
edge
He edged closer to the door.
inch
crawl on all fours
2 (verb)
Definition
to move quietly and cautiously
I went back to the hotel and crept up to my room.
Synonyms
sneak
Don't sneak away and hide.
steal
They can steal away at night and join us.
tiptoe
slink
He couldn't just slink away.
skulk
He skulked off.
approach unnoticed
(noun)
Definition
an obnoxious or servile person
(slang)
He's a smug, sanctimonious little creep.
Synonyms
bootlicker (informal)
sneak
sycophant
a dictator surrounded by sycophants
crawler (slang)
toady
Life was too short to become a toady to a megalomaniac.