beep

American  

[beep] / bip /

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.

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verb (used without object)

beeps, present (3rd person singular) beeped, past participle, past beeping present participle

1. to make or emit such a sound.

   When the timer beeps, take the cake out of the oven.

verb (used with object)

beeps, present (3rd person singular) beeped, past participle, past beeping present participle

1. to sound (a horn, warning signal, etc.).

   impatient drivers beeping their horns.

2. to announce, warn, summon, etc., by beeping.

   The doctor was beeped to call the hospital.

beep British  

/ biːp /

noun

1. a short high-pitched sound, esp one made by the horn of a car, bicycle, etc, or by electronic apparatus

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verb

1. to make or cause to make such a noise

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• beeper
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have beeped
  perfect
• has beeped
  perfect 3rd person singular
• is beeping
  progressive 3rd person singular
• have been beeping
  perfect progressive
• are beeping
  progressive
• beeping
  participle
• am beeping
  progressive 1st person singular
• has been beeping
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• beeps
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had beeped
  perfect
• were beeping
  progressive plural
• had been beeping
  perfect progressive
• was beeping
  progressive singular
• beeped
  simple
• beeped
  participle

Future

• will beep
  simple
• will have beeped
  perfect
• will be beeping
  progressive
• will have been beeping
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of beep

First recorded in 1925–30; imitative

Explanation

A beep is a brief warning sound. You might give a quick beep on your car horn to let a bicyclist know you're passing her on the road. Your friend's voice mail might say, "Leave a message after the beep!" and your smoke alarm might emit an annoying series of beeps when its battery is dying. In either case, you'll hear a high-pitched, brief tone. The word is imitative — it sounds like what it means — and relatively new, only as old as the car horns it imitates. Beep was first an interjection in the 1920s, and a noun and a verb by the end of the decade.

Example Sentences

BEEP: This never would have happened if you’d been there.

From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry