creep

Meaning

Verb

1. (intransitive) To move slowly with the abdomen close to the ground.
2. (intransitive) To grow across a surface rather than upwards.
3. (intransitive) To move slowly and quietly in a particular direction.
4. (intransitive) To make small gradual changes, usually in a particular direction.
5. To move in a stealthy or secret manner; to move imperceptibly or clandestinely; to steal in; to insinuate itself or oneself.
6. To slip, or to become slightly displaced.
7. To move or behave with servility or exaggerated humility; to fawn.
8. To have a sensation as of insects creeping on the skin of the body; to crawl.
9. To drag in deep water with creepers, as for recovering a submarine cable.
10. (intransitive, slang) To covertly have sex (with a person other than one's primary partner); to cheat with.

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) The movement of something that creeps (like worms or snails).
2. (countable, uncountable) A relatively small gradual change, variation or deviation (from a planned value) in a measure.
3. (countable, uncountable) A slight displacement of an object; the slight movement of something.
4. (uncountable) The gradual expansion or proliferation of something beyond its original goals or boundaries, considered negatively.
5. (countable, uncountable) In sewn books, the tendency of pages on the inside of a quire to stand out farther than those on the outside of it.
6. (countable, uncountable) An increase in strain with time; the gradual flow or deformation of a material under stress.
7. (countable, uncountable) The imperceptible downslope movement of surface rock.
8. (countable, derogatory, informal, uncountable) Someone creepy (annoyingly unpleasant), especially one who is strange or eccentric.
9. (countable, derogatory, especially, informal, uncountable) A person who engages in sexually inappropriate behaviour or sexual harassment.
10. (countable, uncountable) A barrier with small openings used to keep large animals out while allowing smaller animals to pass through.

Synonyms

crawl

sneak

slither

climb

cringe

steal

grovel

stalk

worm

🪱

creeping

crud

scumbag

slip

slink

scum

slimebag

spread

glide

dirtbag

move slowly

cower

swine

still hunt

go

slimeball

dirtball

scuzzbag

scoundrel

scuzzball

drag

fawn

move

sleazeball

sleaze

pussyfoot

rascal

crawling

slimebucket

dick

advance slowly

weirdie

dawdle

weirdo

tiptoe

trail

son of a bitch

creep up

slide

spook

sidle

Translations

kriechen

ramper

kruipen

strisciare

arrastrarse

rastejar

schleichen

gatear

arrossegar-se

έρπω

reptar

serpear

arrojar-se

engerd

Kriechen

Pronounced as (IPA)

/kɹiːp/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: crepen

Inherited from Old English: crēopan

Cognate with Western Frisian: krippe

Cognate with Western Frisian: crjippa

Cognate with Low German: krepen

Cognate with Dutch: kruipen

Cognate with Middle High German: kriefen

Cognate with Danish: krybe

Cognate with Norwegian: krype

Cognate with Swedish: krypa

Cognate with Icelandic: krjúpa

In summary

From Middle English crepen, from Old English crēopan (“to creep, crawl”), from Proto-West Germanic *kreupan, from Proto-Germanic *kreupaną (“to twist, creep”), from Proto-Indo-European *grewbʰ- (“to turn, wind”). Cognate with West Frisian krippe, krûpe, West Frisian crjippa (“to creep”), Low German krepen and krupen, Dutch kruipen (“to creep, crawl”), Middle High German kriefen (“to creep”), Danish krybe (“to creep”), Norwegian krype (“to creep”), Swedish krypa (“to creep, crawl”), Icelandic krjúpa (“to stoop”).
The noun is derived from the verb.
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *grewbʰ-der.
Proto-Germanic *kreupaną
Proto-West Germanic *kreupan
Old English crēopan
Middle English crepen
English creep