creek Hear it!

creek Definition

creek (krēk, krik)

noun

  1. Now Chiefly Brit. a narrow inlet or bay
  2. ☆ a small stream, somewhat larger than a brook
  3. Obsolete a narrow or winding passage

Etymology: ME (rare) creke (> mod. pronun. krēk), (common) crike (> pronun. krik) > ON kriki, a bend, winding, hence winding inlet, akin to OFris kreke, MDu creke: for IE base see cradle

creek Idioms

up the creek

☆

Slang in trouble

Creek Definition

Creek (krēk, krik)

noun

  1. pl. Creeks or Creek a member of a cultural and political grouping (the Creek Confederacy) of North American Indian peoples, mainly Muskogean, formerly of Georgia and Alabama, now living in Oklahoma and Florida
  2. the Muskogean language used as a lingua franca in the Creek Confederacy; Muskogee

Etymology: shortened < earlier Ochese Creek Indians, 17th-c. name for the Indians of the upper Ocmulgee River, Georgia

creek Synonyms

creek

n.

stream, spring, brook; see river 1.

up the creek*

in difficulty, desperate, in a bind*; see in trouble 1 at trouble, troubled 1, unfortunate 2.

creek Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • overlook: Next day we did a tour of the house, which is two thirds completed and overlooks an idyllic creek.
  • cross: What had carried me through the roost would surely serve me to cross this little quiet creek in safety.
  • explore: Boating, Sailing, Fishing Falmouth offers wonderful facilities for boating, with hire boats being easy to arrange to explore local creeks.

Adjective modifier

  • tidal: Pill A tidal creek with a soft mud bottom.
  • proverbial: Without manufacturing, our economy will be up the proverbial creek.
  • muddy: There are many interesting muddy creeks deep enough to anchor small boats.
  • wooded: In summer there are boat trips up the river, passing through beautiful wooded creeks.
  • shallow: Tide mills, like Woodbridge, tend to be situated along shallow creeks to avoid the ravages of the coastal waves.
  • picturesque: The house is settled on the bank of one of Helford River's beautiful, unspoiled and picturesque creeks.

Modifies a noun

  • ranch: The auto canada creek insurance ranch benefits of entail a major.
  • bed: No slag was found in the creek beds further uphill, only pieces eroded from this unit farther downstream.
  • tour: Picnic lunch on the way and arrive in time for a creek tour in the evening.
  • side: On the creek side of Tinners is the orchard style grassy garden, enclosed by a wood panel fence.
  • insurance: The auto canada creek insurance ranch benefits of entail a major.

Preposition: without

paddle: In deep water Up the creek without a paddle.

Noun used with modifier

  • mangrove: Here you'll get to experience the dawn chorus in a dug out canoe in the mangrove creeks of the River Gambia.
  • canada: The auto canada creek insurance ranch benefits of entail a major.
  • auto: The auto canada creek insurance ranch benefits of entail a major.
  • side: Before we reached the side creek we saw a secretive Sunbittern.