noun
1.
a short, relatively high-pitched tone produced by a horn, electronic device, or the like as a signal, summons, or warning.
2.
one of the periodic signals sounded by a beeper.
verb (used without object)
3.
to make or emit such a sound: When the timer beeps, take the cake out of the oven.
verb (used with object)
4.
to sound (a horn, warning signal, etc.): impatient drivers beeping their horns.
5.
to announce, warn, summon, etc., by beeping: The doctor was beeped to call the hospital.
Origin:
1925–30; imitative
1925–30; imitative
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To beep
00:10
Beep
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is kibitz. Does it mean:
| to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about. |
| chat, to converse |
Collins
World English Dictionary
beep (biːp) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a short high-pitched sound, esp one made by the horn of a car, bicycle, etc, or by electronic apparatus |
| —vb | |
| 2. | to make or cause to make such a noise |
| [C20: of imitative origin] | |
| 'beeper | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
beep
1927, imitative of automobile horns (originally of the sound of a certain type of automobile horn among several types in use in the years after the klaxon horn was brought into use c.1910). Used as a noun and verb by 1929.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
Slang Dictionary
beep
n.,v. Syn. {feep}. This term is techspeak under MS-DOS and OS/2, and seems to be generally preferred among micro hobbyists.
Jargon
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
FOLDOC
American Heritage
Abbreviations & Acronyms
| beep borough president |
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
At the sound of the beep, the student turns around and runs back to the other end.
The hollow, intermittent beep of the heart machine, and the suctioning sound of the oxygen machine filled the cubicle.
When the gadget gets a compatible signal, it begins to beep or flash, depending on how it's set.
It it breaks any of the others without breaking the first beam, it signals with a red light and a loud beep.
Nearby Words
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
