(past and past participle crept)no obj.
1
- usu. with adverbial of direction move slowly and carefully, especially in order to avoid being heard or noticed蹑手蹑脚地行走; 悄悄地行进：
he crept downstairs, hardly making any noise
他蹑手蹑脚地下楼, 几乎没发出什么声响
they were taught how to creep up on an enemy.
他们受过如何悄悄接近敌人的训练。
1.1
- (of a thing) move very slowly at an inexorably steady pace（事物）不可阻挡地缓缓来到：
the fog was creeping up from the marsh.
雾正从沼泽地里慢慢生成。
1.2
- (of a plant) grow along the ground or other surface by means of extending stems or branches（植物）匍匐, 蔓生：
as adj. creeping tufts of fine leaves grow on creeping rhizomes.蔓生的根茎上长出了一簇簇纤细的叶子。
1.3
- (of a plastic solid) undergo gradual deformation under stress（具有塑性的固体）蠕变。
2
creep in/into
(of an unwanted and negative characteristic or fact) occur or develop gradually and almost imperceptibly（不想要的和负面的特色或事实）逐渐发生; 不知不觉地出现 ：errors crept into his game
他在比赛中不经意地犯了一些错误
as adj. creeping the creeping privatization of the health service公共医疗卫生服务的逐渐私有化。
2.1
creep up
increase slowly but steadily in number or amount（在数量上）缓慢而稳定地增长：interest rates have been creeping up in the past few weeks.
在过去的几个星期里, 利率已在逐渐提高。
2.2
creep to
informal behave towards (someone) in an obsequious way in the hope of advancement〈非正式〉（抱着得到提升的希望）对（某人）卑躬屈膝（或谄媚奉承）。
1
- informal a detestable person〈非正式〉讨厌的人, 可恶的人。
1.1
- a person who behaves in an obsequious way in the hope of advancement奴颜婢膝的人。
2
- mass noun slow movement, especially at a steady but almost imperceptible pace（尤指稳定但不易察觉的）缓慢行进; 徐徐移动：
an attempt to prevent this slow creep of costs
防止成本缓慢增加的尝试。
2.1
- the tendency of a car with automatic transmission to move when in gear without the accelerator being pressed（有自动传动装置的汽车的）行进倾向。
2.2
- the gradual downward movement of disintegrated rock or soil due to gravitational forces蠕动, 徐动（碎裂的岩石或土壤在引力作用下的缓慢向下移动）：
stones and earth slowly slip down the slopes by soil creep.
石块和泥土由于土壤蠕动而缓缓滑下斜坡。
2.3
- the gradual deformation of a plastic solid under stress（具有塑性的固体的）蠕变。
2.4
- gradual bulging of the floor of a mine owing to pressure on the pillars（矿柱所受压力导致的矿井地面的）逐渐凸起。
3
- Brit. an opening in a hedge or wall for an animal to pass through〈英〉（树篱或墙壁上供动物通过的）墙洞。
3.1
- a feeding enclosure with a long narrow entrance designed to admit only young animals幼畜补饲栏, 仔畜补料栏。
3.2
- mass noun Brit. solid food given to young farm animals in order to wean them〈英〉给幼畜断奶时吃的固体食物。
短语
give someone the creeps
- informal induce a feeling of revulsion or fear in someone〈非正式〉使某人感到毛骨悚然。
make one's flesh creep
- feel disgust or revulsion and have a sensation like that of something crawling over the skin感到厌恶; 使起鸡皮疙瘩。
词源
Old English crēopan 'move with the body close to the ground', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kruipen. Sense 1 of the verb dates from Middle English.