beep - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Onomatopoeic. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “how old is this word?”)

beep (plural beeps)

  1. The sound produced by the horn of a car, or any similar sound.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:beep
  2. A short, electronically produced tone.
    Synonym: bleep
  3. A message sent to a pager device.
  4. (computing) Synonym of bell (“bell character”).

the sound of the horn of a car

electronically produced tone

beep (third-person singular simple present beeps, present participle beeping, simple past and past participle beeped)

  1. (intransitive, transitive) To produce a beep sound.
    Synonyms: honk, hoot, toot
    Coordinate terms: boop, bop
    The motorists in the traffic jam were getting more and more frustrated and started beeping their horns.
  2. (transitive, informal, euphemistic) To have sexual intercourse with (someone), referring to the bleep tone used to censor obscene words in broadcasts.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:copulate with
    Jason beeped Sharlene after they had drunk a few beers.
  3. (transitive) To contact (someone) via a pager device.
    • 1981, Decisions and Orders of the National Labor Relations Board (U.S.), volume 253, page 1060:
      Burkat told him on the evening of Sunday, July 1, that Kritch “would have to terminate Mr. Waugaman on Monday when he came in, for not answering the beeper.” […] However, when considered in light of […] Justak’s assertion in Waugaman’s termination notice that Respondent had unsuccessfully tried to “beep” him at 6 p.m. […]
    • 2013, Tonshea Carroll Moore, Lanette Zavala, Wedding Vows Under Fire‎[1], page 138:
      His first notion was to call her on her mobile phone device. After all, she had neither called nor beeped him to tell him any plans in advance.
  4. (transitive) To telephone a person, only allowing the phone to ring once, in order to request a call back.
    Synonym: flash
    Susan beeped Jessica, and then Jessica called her back, because Susan didn't have enough credit on her phone to make the call.
    • 2008, Deborah Eden, The Destroyer‎[2], page 157:
      He should have been here at two-fifteen the way he drove. I beeped him, but he didn't ring back.

to produce a beep sound

informal: to have sexual intercourse with someone — see fuck,‎ copulate

Blend of big +‎ jeep. From being bigger versions of the general purpose superlight truck, the Willys MB "Jeep".

beep (plural beeps)

  1. (US, military, slang, dated, World War II) A 1/2-ton general purpose military light truck
  2. (US, military, slang, dated, World War II, by extension) A 3/4-ton general purpose military medium truck
  3. (US, military, slang, dated, World War II) Especially, the Dodge WC series U.S. Army WWII military trucks, in 1/2-ton 3/4-ton 1-ton variants

Borrowed from English beep.

beep n (plural beep-uri)

  1. beep