1 VERB If you peep , or peep at something, you have a quick look at it, often secretly and quietly. □ [V + at ] Children came to peep at him round the doorway. □ [V ] Now and then she peeped to see if he was noticing her. ● N‑SING Peep is also a noun. □ [+ at ] 'Fourteen minutes,' Chris said, taking a peep at his watch.
2 VERB If something peeps out from behind or under something, a small part of it is visible or becomes visible. □ [V prep/adv] Purple and yellow flowers peeped up between rocks.
peep|hole /piː phoʊl/ (peepholes ) N‑COUNT A peephole is small hole in a door or wall through which you can look secretly at what is happening on the other side.
Pee p|ing To m (Peeping Toms ) N‑COUNT If you refer to someone as a Peeping Tom , you mean that they secretly watch other people, especially when those people are taking their clothes off. [DISAPPROVAL ]
peeps /piː ps/ N‑PLURAL Peeps is a spoken abbreviation for 'people'. [INFORMAL ] □ So what do you think, peeps?
peep|show /piː pʃoʊ/ (peepshows ) N‑COUNT A peepshow is a box containing moving pictures which you can look at through a small hole. Peepshows used to be a form of entertainment at fairs.
peer ◆◇◇ /p I ə r / (peers , peering , peered )
1 VERB If you peer at something, you look at it very hard, usually because it is difficult to see clearly. □ [V prep] I had been peering at a computer print-out that made no sense at all. □ [V prep] He watched the Customs official peer into the driver's window.
2 N‑COUNT In Britain, a peer is a member of the nobility who has or had the right to vote in the House of Lords. □ Lord Swan was made a life peer in 1981.
3 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Your peers are the people who are the same age as you or who have the same status as you. □ His engaging personality made him popular with his peers. SYNONYMS peer VERB 1
gaze: She stood gazing at herself in the mirror.
squint: The girl squinted at the photograph.
peek: On two occasions she had peeked at him through a crack in the wall.
peer|age /p I ə r I dʒ/ (peerages )
1 N‑COUNT If someone has a peerage , they have the rank of a peer. □ The Prime Minister offered him a peerage.
2 N‑SING The peers of a particular country are referred to as the peerage .
peer|ess /p I ə res/ (peeresses ) N‑COUNT In Britain, a peeress is a female peer or a peer's wife.
pee r group (peer groups ) N‑COUNT Your peer group is the group of people you know who are the same age as you or who have the same social status as you. □ It is important for a manager to be able to get the support of his peer group.
peer|less /p I ə r ləs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is peerless is so beautiful or wonderful that you feel that nothing can equal it. [FORMAL ] □ …two days of clear sunshine under peerless blue skies.
pee r of the rea lm (peers of the realm ) N‑COUNT In Britain, a peer of the realm is a member of the nobility who has the right to sit in the House of Lords.
pee r press|ure N‑UNCOUNT If someone does something because of peer pressure , they do it because other people in their social group do it. □ Naomi admits that it was peer pressure to be 'cool' that drove her into having sex early.
peeved /piː vd/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are peeved about something, you are annoyed about it. [INFORMAL ] □ Susan couldn't help feeling a little peeved. □ …complaints from peeved citizens who pay taxes.
peev|ish /piː v I ʃ/ ADJ Someone who is peevish is bad-tempered. □ Aubrey had slept little and that always made him peevish. □ She glared down at me with a peevish expression on her face. ● peev|ish|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ Brian sighed peevishly. □ She had grown ever more peevishly dependent on him. ● peev|ish|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ He complained with characteristic peevishness.
peg ◆◇◇ /pe g/ (pegs , pegging , pegged )
1 N‑COUNT A peg is a small hook or knob that is attached to a wall or door and is used for hanging things on. □ His work jacket hung on the peg in the kitchen.
2 N‑COUNT A peg is a small device which you use to fasten clothes to a washing line. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, usually use clothespin 3 N‑COUNT A peg is a small piece of wood or metal that is used for fastening something to something else. □ He builds furniture using wooden pegs instead of nails.
4 VERB If you peg something somewhere or peg it down , you fix it there with pegs. □ [V n prep/adv] …trying to peg a double sheet on a washing line on a blustery day. □ [V n with adv] Peg down netting over the top to keep out leaves. □ [V -ed prep] …a tent pegged to the ground nearby for the kids.
5 VERB If a price or amount of something is pegged at a particular level, it is fixed at that level. □ [be V -ed + to ] Its currency is pegged to the dollar. □ [be V -ed + at ] U.K. trading profits were pegged at £40 million. □ [V n + at ] It is difficult for banks to peg rates at record lows indefinitely. □ [V -ed] …a pegged European currency.
6 → see also level pegging
7 PHRASE Off-the-peg clothes are made in large numbers and sent to shops, not made specially for a particular person. [BRIT ] □ …an off-the-peg two-piece suit. in AM, use off-the-rack