peekaboo

See also: peek-a-boo

English

Alternative forms

• peek-a-boo

Etymology

From peek +‎ -a- +‎ boo.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

peekaboo (uncountable)

1. (games) A game for a small child in which one covers one's face, then suddenly reveals it, saying "Boo!" or "Peekaboo!".

   Synonym: peepbo

Translations

game for small children

• Arabic: بخ (peḫ)
• Dutch: kiekeboe (nl)
• Finnish: kurkistusleikki (fi)
• French: coucou (fr)
• German: Guck-guck-Spiel n
• Greek: κούκου (el) (koúkou)
• Hebrew: קוּ־קוּ m (ku-ku)
• Hindi: पीकाबू (pīkābū), लुका-छुपी (lukā-chupī)
• Hungarian: kukucs (hu)
• Indonesian: ci-luk-ba
• Italian: bubusettete
• Japanese: いないいないばあ (inaiinaibā)
• Korean: 까꿍 (ko) (kkakkung)
• Macedonian: ѕе (dze)
• Malay: ba-cak, cak (ms)
• Polish: a kuku (pl) (an exclamation)
• Portuguese: cucu (pt)
• Russian: ку-ку́ (ru) (ku-kú)
• Swedish: tittut
• Thai: จ๊ะเอ๋ (th) (já-ěe)
• Turkish: ce-e
• Vietnamese: hú òa, ú òa
• Welsh: pi-po

Adjective

peekaboo (not comparable)

1. (of clothing) With holes, slits or transparent fabric to reveal what is normally hidden.

   The model was wearing a peekaboo swimsuit.

2. (boxing) Being or using a style of boxing with the hands kept close to the face to defend it.

   peekaboo boxing

   a peekaboo guard

Quotations

• 2011 January 13, Phil Vettel, “Chef of the Year: Anthomy Martin”, in Chicago Tribune, 164th year, number 13, section 5, page 4:

  Precise herbed-lamb packets amid art nouveau swirls of asparagus noodles, a lacy tuile that adds a peekaboo seductivity to potato gnocchi — [Anthony] Martin’s presentations are bold and beautiful, yet his flavor pairings are almost maddeningly subtle, driving overanalytical foodies to despair.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• peekaboo blouse
• peekaboo bra
• peekaboo card
• peekaboo dress
• peekaboo tank top
• peekaboo top

Translations

of clothing, with holes, slits, or transparent fabric

• Finnish: paljastava (fi) (revealing)

Verb

peekaboo (third-person singular simple present peekaboos, present participle peekabooing, simple past and past participle peekabooed)

1. (intransitive) To peep out.
   • 2013, Stan Timmons, Ammon's Horn:

     A spike of white bone peekabooed through the flesh of his wrist and blood spurted.

   • 2013, Marianne Harden, Malicious Mischief:

     “Mount Rainier has escaped the clouds.” I turned to the volcano peekabooing through the trees in the distance.

Interjection

peekaboo

1. Boo (when showing oneself unexpectedly).
   • 2021 September 2, Sam Johnson & Chris Marcil, “The Cloak of Duplication” (3:29 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows‎^[1], season 3, episode 2, spoken by Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch):

     “The Sire is the oldest living vampire in the world.” “He's the vampire from which all other vampires have descended.” “All of them.” “Do not ever open this door.” “Peekaboo.” (growling)

   Synonyms: peep bo, peep-bo, peepbo, peepo

See also

• Picabo