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)

1. to make or emit such a sound.

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

verb (used with object)

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

• beeper noun

Etymology

Origin of beep

First recorded in 1925–30; imitative

Example Sentences

And, I promise, if the apocalypse actually comes, you can still beep me.”

From Salon

The beaches are empty, and he can concentrate on the beeping in his bulbous yellow headphones, which grows louder as the coil gets closer to metal.

From The Wall Street Journal

In the days and weeks after, she struggled to sleep and was plagued by a beeping noise in her bedroom at night, that was neither her phone nor the baby monitor.

From BBC

Closer by was the wail of fire alarms and the beep of the hose trucks.

From Literature

Until then, drills buzz into concrete, construction lifts beep loudly, workers iron curtains and more art comes out of storage waiting for a moment in the sun.

From Los Angeles Times