DictionaryAI

peek

USPEEK/pik/

Verbpeeks, peeking, peeked

Noun pluralpeeks

Often confused with peak and pique

4 meanings of peek

Practice

  1. 1
    verbcolloquialintransitive
    To look at something secretly, through a small gap, or with your eyes almost shut.

    Don't peek at your presents before your birthday!

    She peeked through the curtains to see who was at the door.

    Similarpeep, peer

    Note
  2. 2
    nouncountable
    A fast, short look at something.

    Let me have a peek inside the box.

    She took a few peeks at the clock during the test.

    Similarlook, glance, peep, glimpse

  3. 3
    verbcolloquialintransitive
    To show just a little, as if hiding and looking out.

    A red sock peeked out from under the bed.

    His toes peek out of the holes in his old sneakers.

    Similarpeep, poke

Less common meaning

  1. 4
    verbdatedtransitive
    To read a number saved at one place in a computer's memory.

    First we peek the value at this memory address.

    We are peeking the value from the first index's memory location.
    2006, Gary Willoughby, PureBasic: A Beginner's Guide to Computer ProgrammingHere, peeking means reading a value stored at a spot in computer memory.
    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of peek apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From a Middle English word meaning "to peep", probably a mix of the words peep and keek (to look).