creep
gb/kɹˈip/ us/kɹˈip/
B2
الإنجليزية
~ 6900
المعاني
0 معنى
اسم
informal
B2
entity
1
unpleasant or disturbing person
A person who acts in a strange or bad way that makes other people feel very uncomfortable or unsafe.
نمط الاستخدام:
[someone] is a creep
خطأ شائع:
Learners often forget the article and say *"he is creep"* instead of *"he is a creep"*. Also, do not confuse the noun "a creep" (a strange or bad person) with the verb "to creep" (to move slowly or quietly).
المرادفات
weirdo (Suggests a very strange person; does not always include the idea of being threatening or unsafe the way "creep" often does.)
الأضداد
gentleman (Suggests a polite, respectful man who makes others feel safe and comfortable, the opposite of a "creep".)
المتلازمات اللفظية
such a creep
|total creep
|real creep
|be a creep
|act like a creep
الموضوعات
people
|relationships
|emotions
|daily_life
أمثلة
- Stay away from that guy; he's a total creep.
- Some creep kept following her home from the bus stop.
- I blocked him on social media because he was acting like a creep in my messages.
- She left the party early after a creep wouldn't stop touching her arm.
أمثلة للمتعلّمين
- That man is a creep.
- My friend thinks her new boss is a creep.
- I don't want to talk to that creep again.
فعل
B2
action
2
move quietly to avoid notice
To move very slowly and quietly so that other people or animals do not see or hear you.
نمط الاستخدام:
to creep [somewhere] quietly
خطأ شائع:
Learners sometimes confuse "creep" with "crawl". "Crawl" means to move on hands and knees; "creep" focuses more on moving quietly and secretly, not just the way the body moves.
المرادفات
sneak (Very close in meaning; "sneak" is slightly more common in everyday speech and does not always suggest moving close to the ground.)
الأضداد
march (Implies moving loudly and openly with firm steps, the opposite of moving quietly to avoid notice.)
المتلازمات اللفظية
creep up the stairs
|creep into the room
|creep towards [someone]
|creep along the hallway
|creep up behind [someone]
الموضوعات
movement
|daily life
|crime
|daily_life
أمثلة
- The cat crept silently toward the birds.
- She crept into the house after midnight so she wouldn't wake her parents.
- A thief was caught on camera creeping around the backyard.
- He crept up behind his friend and shouted to scare him.
أمثلة للمتعلّمين
- The baby crept across the floor.
- I crept into my sister's room to get my book.
- She crept up the stairs very quietly.
- Someone was creeping around outside the window.
اسم
informal
B2
state
3
feeling of fear or disgust
A very strong bad feeling of fear or disgust, usually said as "the creeps".
نمط الاستخدام:
[something] gives [someone] the creeps
خطأ شائع:
Learners sometimes say *"I have creep"* instead of *"I have the creeps"* or *"I get the creeps"*. Use the fixed plural form "the creeps" when talking about this feeling.
المرادفات
shivers (Often used in the phrase "give someone the shivers"; it emphasizes the physical shaking feeling rather than the general discomfort.)
الأضداد
comfort (Describes a feeling of safety and ease, the opposite of the fear or disgust in "the creeps".)
المتلازمات اللفظية
get the creeps
|give me the creeps
|really gives me the creeps
|have the creeps
|get the creepy-crawlies
الموضوعات
emotions
|fear
|body
أمثلة
- That empty house at the end of the street gives me the creeps.
- He gets the creeps every time he walks past the old cemetery.
- The way that doll's eyes follow you around the room really gives me the creeps.
- I had the creeps all night after watching that horror movie.
أمثلة للمتعلّمين
- Spiders give me the creeps.
- That dark room gives her the creeps.
- I get the creeps when I walk there at night.
فعل
B2
action
4
move or go very slowly
To move or happen very slowly, so it feels like it is taking a long time.
نمط الاستخدام:
[something] creeps [forward / by / along]
خطأ شائع:
Learners sometimes use only "go" instead of a more precise verb. In contexts where you want to show that something is very, very slow, "creep" is stronger than "go" or "move".
المرادفات
drag (Used about time or events; focuses on the feeling of something taking too long, rather than physical movement.)
الأضداد
speed (Implies moving or happening quickly, the opposite of the very slow movement in "creep".)
المتلازمات اللفظية
traffic crept along
|the hours crept by
|the day crept by
|line crept forward
|snail crept across
الموضوعات
time
|movement
|transport
|travel
|transportation
أمثلة
- Traffic crept along the highway during rush hour.
- The last ten minutes of the exam seemed to creep by.
- The line crept forward as each customer was served.
- A snail crept across the garden path.
أمثلة للمتعلّمين
- The bus crept along the busy road.
- The morning seemed to creep by at work.
- The line at the bank crept forward.
- The small animal crept along the fence.
فعل
C1
action
5
gradually begin or appear
To start slowly and quietly, and then grow little by little so people do not see it at first, often in a bad way.
نمط الاستخدام:
[something] creeps into / over [something or someone]
خطأ شائع:
Learners sometimes try to use this sense with very sudden actions (e.g. *"anger crept into him in a second"*). "Creep" in this sense is used for slow, gradual changes, not quick ones.
المرادفات
slip in (Also suggests something entering quietly or unnoticed, but is slightly more informal and less often used with feelings.)
الأضداد
disappear (Describes something going away rather than slowly beginning to exist or grow.)
المتلازمات اللفظية
doubt crept in
|errors creep into
|a smile crept across
|fatigue crept over
|change creeping in
الموضوعات
emotions
|change
|thinking
|core_vocabulary
أمثلة
- Doubt began to creep into her mind after the second interview.
- A feeling of sadness crept over him as he read the news.
- Tiny mistakes can creep into the text if you do not proofread carefully.
- A slow smile crept across her face as she realized she had passed the exam.
أمثلة للمتعلّمين
- Fear crept into his voice.
- A cold feeling crept over my body.
- Small errors can creep into your work.
- A smile crept across his face.
اسم
C1
event
6
slow unwanted increase or spread
A slow and steady rise or growth in something, often a bad or unplanned increase, for example in work or prices.
نمط الاستخدام:
creep in [costs / scope / prices]
خطأ شائع:
Learners may think "creep" here means a person. In phrases like "scope creep" or "price creep", it is a noun for slow, unwanted growth, not an insult for a person.
المرادفات
gradual increase (Neutral description of the change; does not carry the negative, often critical tone that "creep" suggests.)
الأضداد
cutback (A reduction in size or amount, the opposite of the slow expansion expressed by "creep".)
المتلازمات اللفظية
scope creep
|mission creep
|price creep
|regulatory creep
|bureaucratic creep
الموضوعات
business
|economy
|management
|work
|finance
أمثلة
- Managers are worried about scope creep adding months to the project.
- There has been a slow price creep over the past year.
- Regulatory creep is making it harder for small businesses to operate.
- The report warns of mission creep if the army stays in the region too long.
أمثلة للمتعلّمين
- The company wants to stop scope creep on this project.
- We can see price creep in many food items this year.
- Mission creep is a problem in long military operations.
القواعد
الصيغة المعجمية
creep
IPA
GB/kɹˈip/
US/kɹˈip/
المقاطع والنبر
creep (١ مقطع)
Stress on 1st syllable (creep)
تصريفات الكلمة
Noun
- Base: creep
- Plural: creep, creeps
Verb
- Base: creep
- 3rd Person Singular: creeps
- Present Participle: creeping
- Past: crept
- Past Participle: crept
عائلة الكلمة
Forms
creeps
noun
creeping
verb
crept
verb
Core family
creepy
adjective B1
Related words
creepily
adverb
creepiness
noun
creeper
noun
أبرز النقاط
- Irregular past: crept Verb
- Irregular past participle: crept Verb
التعبيرات
creep by
1/kɹˈip bˈaɪ/
phrasal verb
time passes very slowly
To pass very slowly, used especially about time that feels long and boring.
أمثلة
- The minutes crept by as we waited for the results.
- The afternoon crept by and still no one called.
- The final days before the holiday always seem to creep by.
creep in
1/kɹˈip ˈɪn/
phrasal verb
start to exist gradually
To start to be present slowly and quietly, often without people noticing and often in a bad way, for example mistakes or small changes.
أمثلة
- A few small errors crept in during the last round of editing.
- Doubt began to creep in as they waited for news.
- Over time, bad habits can creep in if you stop paying attention.
creep out
1/kɹˈip ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
informal
make someone feel scared or sick
To make someone feel very uncomfortable, scared, or disgusted.
أمثلة
- That horror movie really creeped me out.
- He creeps out my friends when he stares like that.
- The empty streets at night totally creep me out.
creep over
1/kɹˈip ˈoʊvɚ/
phrasal verb
feeling slowly covers someone
For a feeling, such as fear, calm, or tiredness, to slowly cover and affect all of a person.
أمثلة
- A strange calm crept over her as she spoke.
- A feeling of panic crept over the crowd.
- Sleepiness crept over him during the long lecture.
creep up
1/kɹˈip ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
increase slowly and gradually
To rise or go up slowly and by small amounts, for example prices, numbers, or rates.
أمثلة
- Prices have been creeping up for months.
- The unemployment rate is creeping up again.
- Her weight crept up over the holidays.
creep up on
1/kɹˈip ˈʌp ˈɔn/
phrasal verb
approach or affect unexpectedly and slowly
To move close to a person without them seeing you, or for something like time, age, or a feeling to affect you slowly so that you do not notice it at first.
أمثلة
- He crept up on his brother and shouted "boo!" in his ear.
- Old age can creep up on you if you do not stay active.
- Exhaustion crept up on her after weeks of late nights.
get the creeps
1/ɡˈɛt ðə kɹˈips/
idiom
informal
suddenly feel very uncomfortable
To suddenly feel very uncomfortable, scared, or disgusted because of something strange or scary.
أمثلة
- I get the creeps every time I walk past that house.
- She got the creeps when she heard footsteps behind her.
- Do you ever get the creeps in big empty buildings?
give someone the creeps
1/ɡˈɪv sˈʌmwˌʌn ðə kɹˈips/
idiom
informal
make someone feel very uncomfortable
To make someone feel very uncomfortable, scared, or disgusted in a strong way.
أمثلة
- That abandoned hotel gives me the creeps.
- The way he smiles gives her the creeps.
- Old hospitals always give some people the creeps.
give someone the creeps
1/ɡˈɪv sˈʌmwˌʌn ðə kɹˈips/
idiom
informal
make someone feel uneasy
to make someone feel scared or uncomfortable
أمثلة
- That abandoned playground at night gives me the creeps.
- He gives me the creeps, so I avoid being alone with him.
- The way the door kept opening by itself gave everyone the creeps.
mission creep
1/mˈɪʃən kɹˈip/
fixed phrase
gradual expansion of mission goals
A slow increase in what a group or organization is trying to do, so that it does more than its first clear goal.
أمثلة
- Critics warn that keeping troops there could lead to mission creep.
- The charity's work has grown, and some staff worry about mission creep.
- We must avoid mission creep and stay focused on our main target.
price creep
1/pɹˈaɪs kɹˈip/
fixed phrase
slow increase in prices
A slow and steady rise in prices over time.
أمثلة
- Consumers are starting to notice price creep in basic foods.
- There has been quiet price creep in the housing market this year.
- The report highlights years of price creep in energy bills.
scope creep
1/skˈoʊp kɹˈip/
fixed phrase
slow unplanned growth of project work
A slow and unplanned increase in the work or goals of a project, usually making it take more time and money.
أمثلة
- We need to control scope creep if we want to finish on time.
- Scope creep has added several extra features to the app.
- Clear requirements at the start can help avoid scope creep.