peer
verb/pɪə(r)/
/pɪr/
[intransitive]Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they peer | /pɪə(r)/ /pɪr/ |
| he / she / it peers | /pɪəz/ /pɪrz/ |
| past simple peered | /pɪəd/ /pɪrd/ |
| past participle peered | /pɪəd/ /pɪrd/ |
| -ing form peering | /ˈpɪərɪŋ/ /ˈpɪrɪŋ/ |
- (+ adv./prep.) to look closely or carefully at something, especially when you cannot see it clearly
- We peered into the shadows.
- He went to the window and peered out.
- She kept peering over her shoulder.
- He peered closely at the photograph.
Synonyms starestaregaze ▪ peer ▪ glareThese words all mean to look at somebody/something for a long time.stare to look at somebody/something for a long time, especially with surprise or fear, or because you are thinking:- I screamed and everyone stared.
- We all gazed at Marco in amazement.
- I looked at her and she glared stonily back.
- to stare/gaze/peer/glare at somebody/something
- to stare/gaze/peer/glare suspiciously
- to stare/gaze/peer anxiously/intently
- to stare/gaze/glare wildly/fiercely
Extra Examples- A face was peering down at him.
- He peered into the darkness.
- His pale blue eyes peered anxiously at Vic.
- I peered through the letter box.
- She peered around the corner.
- He peered out of the window.
- She peered round into the farmyard.
- We tried to peer over her shoulder.
- peering short-sightedly at the book
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- closely
- intently
- anxiously
- …
- try to
- around
- round
- at
- …
Word Originverb late 16th cent.: perhaps a variant of dialect pire or perhaps partly from a shortening of appear.
Check pronunciation:
peer