creep

1 verb past tense and past participle crept, (intransitive always + adv/prep)

1 to move in a quiet, careful way, especially to avoid attracting attention

(+ into/over/around etc): Johann would creep into the gallery to listen to the singers. | He crept back up the stairs, trying to avoid the ones that creaked.

2 if something such as an insect, small animal, or car creeps, it moves slowly and quietly

(+ down/along/away etc): a caterpillar creeping down my arm

3 to gradually enter something and change it

(+ in/into/over etc): Funny how religion is creeping into the environmental debate.

4 if a plant creeps it grows or climbs up or along a particular place

(+ up/over/around etc): ivy creeping up the walls of the building

5 if mist, clouds etc creep, they gradually fill or cover a place

(+ into/over etc): Fog was creeping into the valley.

6 BrE informal to be insincerely nice to someone, especially someone in authority, in order to gain an advantage for yourself: creep (up) to sb: I'm not the kind of person to creep to anybody.

7 sb/sth makes my flesh creep used to say that someone or something makes you feel strong dislike or fear: His glassy stare made my flesh creep.

creep up on sb/sth phrasal verb (T)

1 to surprise someone by walking up behind them silently: Don't yell - let's creep up on them and scare them.

2 if a feeling or idea creeps up on you, it gradually increases: The feeling she had for Malcolm, had crept up on her and taken her by surprise.

3 to seem to come sooner than you expect: Somehow, the end of term had crept up on us.

2 noun

1 informal especially AmE someone who you dislike extremely: Get lost, you little creep!

2 (C) BrE informal someone who tries to make you like them or do things for them by being insincerely nice to you: Don't try and flatter her - she doesn't approve of creeps.

3 give sb the creeps if a person or place gives you the creeps, they make you feel nervous and a little frightened, especially because they are strange: That house gives me the creeps.