perve
perve Lexical Profile
perve Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person whose sexual behavior or interest is regarded as abnormal, sleazy, or unacceptable; a pervert.
"She decided to leave the party early because a creepy perve kept staring at her from across the room."
Australian An act of looking at someone in a lustful, lecherous, or voyeuristic manner.
"They went down to the crowded boardwalk mainly to have a perve at the sunbathers."
• verb
To gaze at someone in a lecherous, lustful, or voyeuristic manner (often followed by "on" or "at").
"The bartender asked the man to leave after noticing him perving on the other patrons."
Word Nuance & Usage
"Perve" (also spelled "perv") is an informal, often derogatory slang term used primarily in British, Australian, and New Zealand English, commonly followed by the prepositions "on" or "at" when used as a verb.
• Rhymes for perve
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Originated in the mid-20th century as a colloquial shortening of "pervert" or "perversion," which ultimately derive from the Latin "pervertere," meaning to turn upside down or corrupt.