Green’s Dictionary of Slang

creep v.

1. to forgo one’s pride and beg unashamedly, to curry favour, to be sycophantic towards.

[UK]Thrale Thraliana ii May 8 745: Mrs Montagu wrote creeping Letters when She wanted my help [...] & then turned her Back upon me & set her Adherents to do the same: I despise such Conduct.
[US]F. Martyn Life in the Legion 45: Let it not be inferred [...] that I personally made my way in the Legion by means of ‘creeping,’ because that is very far from the truth.
Geddes Mud on the Hoofs III i: I don’t creep, I don’t. Not for any woman.

2. to rob stealthily, to work as a sneak-thief; thus creeping n.

[US]Jackson & Hellyer Vocab. Criminal Sl.
[UK]V. Davis Phenomena in Crime 63: Just been pulled in for hotel creeping.
[US]D. Pearce Cool Hand Luke (1967) 86: Pulling five years for creeping the Miami mansion of Al Capone’s brother.
[UK] (ref. to 1930s–70s) R. Barnes Coronation Cups and Jam Jars 206: Creep – To make an entrance from the roof.
[US]T.R. Houser Central Sl. 16: creepin, to be [...] A manner by which to commit a burglary. ‘When I do a burglary I be creepin.’.
[US]E. Little Another Day in Paradise 183: ‘Got a jewelry store and a dope connection.’ [...] ‘What’s the setup? Creep em [?]’.
[US]Simon & Burns ‘Port in a Storm’ Wire ser. 2 ep. 12 [TV script] We got paid by the can to creep shit off the docks.
[UK]Guardian 23 Jan. 6: If they are creeping a ‘drum’ (house), aware that the residents are asleep upstairs, they will confine activities to downstairs.
[UK]J.J. Connolly Viva La Madness 281: A specialist scavenger, getting his tackle creeping City hotels.
[US]S. King Finders Keepers (2016) 202: Prior to the break-in he had discussed the possibility of creeping that particular crib.

3. (US) of a prostitute, to distract one’s customer while an accomplice slips into the room and rifles through his wallet; since he always has to pay in advance, he won’t check his money until they have parted; also attrib.; thus creeping n.

[US]M.C. Sharpe Chicago May (1929) 259: Panelling, or creeping, only carries eighteen months, because the John went to the room of his own accord.
[US](con. 1900s) C.W. Willemse Behind The Green Lights 71: ‘Creep and panel’ cases were extremely difficult to handle for the victims seldom dared to complain.
[US]A.K. Shulman On the Stroll 114: You could start doin a little creepin [...] Basically it’s very simple. After the john takes his pants off, you make sure they’re hangin over a chair right near the door. Then when you’re workin him over, another ho [...] will creep into the room, slip out the wallet, take out the cake, and put the empty wallet back. If you’re doin your job, trick’s too busy to notice a thing.

4. (US black, also make a creep, pull a creep) to flirt, to make sexual advances, to have a clandestine meeting, usu. that between two adulterous lovers; thus creeping n.

[US]Odum & Johnson Negro and His Songs (1964) 173: I ask jailer, ‘Captain, how can I sleep? / All ’round my bedside polices creep.’.
[US]Odum & Johnson Negro Workaday Songs 63: When de dark comes, Lawd, / Dis nigger got to creep. / Creepin’ ’roun’, / Creepin’ in, / Creepin’ everywhere / A creeper’s been [...] When de dark comes, Lawd, / A chocolate gal I’ve found.’.
[US]D. Burley N.Y. Amsterdam News 29 Jan. 19/2: Both male and female should study timetables before they go in for creepin’ just ’fore the break o’ day.
[US]Little Walter ‘Too Late’ 🎵 I’m tired of your deceivin’ and I can’t stand your creepin’, I’m gone.
[US]Current Sl. V:2 6: Creep, v. To sneak out to see someone of the opposite sex.
[US]H.E. Roberts Third Ear n.p.: creep v. 1. to cheat on a friend; to twotime a person; e.g. She’s trying to creep on him.
[US]R.A. Wilson Playboy’s Book of Forbidden Words 80: To be unfaithful [...] making a creep or pulling a creep.
[US]E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 140: Creep on a nigger’s woman! One of yo’ partners got a broad and you jus’ creep, go over dere and don’t let nobody know [...] Tha’s like committing adultery.
[US]Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 2: creep – try to steal someone’s mate: ‘I saw you looking at my girl. Are you trying to creep me?’.
[US]Teen Lingo: The Source for Youth Ministry 🌐 creepin’ v. When a person is ‘sneaking around’, cheating on his or her boy/girlfriend.

5. (US black, also go on the creep) to sneak up on, to stalk someone with malicious intent.

[Aus]X. Herbert Capricornia (1939) 253: He was not above creeping on her while she dressed.
[Scot](con. mid-1960s) J. Patrick Glasgow Gang Observed 86: Thae Tongs go on the creep nooadays, lyin in wait fur ye in yir close fur hours an’ jumpin’ ye when ye come hame.
[US]E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 233: creep [...] 5. Sneak up on someone, often with assault or robbery in mind.
[US]NWA ‘Gangsta Gangsta’ 🎵 See a nigga on Daytons and we creep / Real slow and before you know / I had my shotgun pointed in the window.

6. to ‘walk’, to escape punishment; to be let off.

[UK]J. Curtis Gilt Kid 280: Knowing there’s a thin chance he’ll creep, says he’ll go for trial.
[UK]J. Curtis They Drive by Night 225: Give yourself up. Box clever and I expect you’ll creep.

7. (US prison) to escape.

[US]M. Braly On the Yard (2002) 207: Even those who managed to creep were reapprehended with stifling regularity.
[US]E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 233: creep [...] 6. Steal away.

8. (US black teen) to go about one’s business surreptitiously and quietly.

[US]H.E. Roberts Third Ear n.p.: creep v. […] 2. to leave. 3. to go to a place; e.g. I’m going to creep on down to the store.
[US]E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 140: Creep on yo’ old man. You say you goin’ out wid d’ girls to d’ movies. Really you be out wid another brother.
[US]Eble Campus Sl. Nov. 3: creep – sneak around.
Q. Vidal ‘Third Rail’ 🎵 Creepin’ in the night, fleekin’ on the mic.

9. (US campus) to go out on the town.

[US]G. Underwood ‘Razorback Sl.’ in AS L:1/2 57: creep vi Go out on the town at night.

10. (US black) to ride slowly in a car.

[US]E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 233: creep [...] 4. Drive slowly, often with only parking lights on.
Online Sl. Dict. 🌐 creep v [...] 2. to drive by in a car slowly with the driver’s seat reclined.

11. (US drugs) to sell marijuana.

[US]A. Rodriguez Spidertown (1994) 10: Hangin’ out an’ creepin’ reefa around (nickel bag part reefa, part rug fibers dash oregano with a little roach spray f’ flavor).

12. (US campus) to follow someone by tracking them on social networks; thus n. creeper.

[US]C. Eble (ed.) UNC-CH Campus Sl. 2011 3: CREEP — follow someone via online social networks: ‘Hey, girl, sorry to be creeping, but I noticed your status said ‘working on Engl 313 homework’. I’m in there too.
[US]C. Eble (ed.) UNC-CH Campus Sl. 2011 3: CREEPER — someone who follows another via online social networks: ‘My mom knew about the party from looking at my profile pictures on Facebook. She is such a creeper.’ .

In compounds

creep house (n.) [house n.1 (1)/SE house]

(US) a brothel or unwholesome apartment house, esp. one where patrons are robbed.

[US]G.J. Kneeland Commercialized Prostitution in N.Y. City 77: A ‘creep house’ is a place where women take men to rob them.
[US] in P. Smith Letter from My Father (1978) 367: It was a creep house where men took rooms and [...] the night manager sent them girls to assuage their sexual appetites.
[US]Winick & Kinsie Lively Commerce 27: A ‘creep house’ is a place to which men are taken by prostitutes to be robbed.
creep joint (n.)

see separate entry.

creep pad (n.) [pad n.2 (2)]

(US) a brothel or unwholesome apartment house, esp. where patrons are robbed.

[US]Mezzrow & Wolfe Really the Blues 372/2: Creep pad: a whorehouse where the girls are pickpockets.

In phrases

creeping man (n.)

( US Black) an adulterous or clandestine lover.

[US]P. Oliver Blues Fell this Morning 96: The cuckolded husband [...] cannot believe that the woman that he has admired and on whom he has depended so much has taken a ‘creeping man’.
creep on (v.) (US black)

1. to cheat, esp. sexually.

[US]E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 23: A situation in which the would-be friend ‘creeps’ on their young lady or young man.

2. to sneak up on someone, with the intention of attacking them physically or robbing them.

[US]C. Shafer ‘Catheads [...] and Cho-Cho Sticks’ in Abernethy Bounty of Texas (1990) 202: creep on, v. – to sneak up on someone with mayhem in mind.
[US]E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 185: Somebody be on flake, like people gonna creep on dem.

3. to follow.

[US] Dr Dre ‘187’ 🎵 So I creep on that ass, pops him and drops him.