keek

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See also: kè-e̍k and Keek

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English kyken, kiken, keken (to look, peep), probably from Middle Dutch kiken, kieken or Middle Low German kîken (to look, peep), from Old Saxon *kīkan (to look), from Proto-West Germanic *kīkan, from Proto-Germanic *kīkaną (to look).

Cognate with Dutch kijken (to look), German Low German kieken (to look), Estonian kiikama (to look, to peek), German kucken, gucken (to look), Danish kigge, kikke (to look, peep), Swedish kika (to peep, peek, keek, pry), Icelandic kíkja (to look, check). Perhaps related to kick.

The words peek, keek and peep were used more or less synonymously in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

keek (third-person singular simple present keeks, present participle keeking, simple past and past participle keeked)

  1. (Scotland, intransitive) To peek; peep.
    • 2019 May 10, Moreen Simpson, “New arrivals proved big challenge in early days”, in Evening Express:
      She was laid in my arms. Not able to sit up, I just keeked at her beautiful facie.

Noun[edit]

keek (plural keeks)

  1. (Scotland) A look, especially a quick one; a peek.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Basque[edit]

Noun[edit]

keek

  1. ergative plural of ke

Cornish[edit]

Adjective[edit]

keek

  1. hedged

References[edit]

Dutch[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

keek

  1. singular past indicative of kijken

Anagrams[edit]

Scots[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle Scots keik (to peep), from Middle English kiken, from Middle Low German kiken, from Old Saxon kīkan, [1] ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *kīkan. Cognate with English keek.

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

keek (third-person singular simple present keeks, present participle keekin, simple past keeked, past participle keeked)

  1. To have a quick look or peek.
  2. To tilt or lean back.
Related terms[edit]

Noun[edit]

keek (plural keeks)

  1. A quick look or peek.

Etymology 2[edit]

Uncertain. Possibly from the verb, due to the difficulty to see sideways from the cap.[2]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

keek (plural keeks)

  1. A cap made of linen worn around the head and neck.

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 keek, v., n.” in the Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries.
  2. 2.0 2.1 keek, n.” in the Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries.