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creeper
creeper common name for members of a family of small, inconspicuous birds related to wrens and nuthatches. They are found in wooded regions of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. A creeper spirals up a tree trunk using its long, stiff tail as a prop and searches out minute insects with its long, downward-curved beak; it then swoops to the base of another tree to begin again. The most widely distributed member of the family is the brown creeper, Certhia familiaris, found in North America and Eurasia. It is 5 in. (13 cm) long, brown above and white below. Other North American creepers are the Rocky Mt., Sierra, and California creepers. Some warblers are also called creepers, e.g., the honey creeper. Creepers are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Aves, order Passeriformes, family Certhiidae. |
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"creeper." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "creeper." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-creeper.html "creeper." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-creeper.html |
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creeper
creep·er / ˈkrēpər/ • n. 1. Bot. any plant that grows along the ground, around another plant, or up a wall by means of extending stems or branches. 2. any of a number of small birds that creep around in trees, vegetation, etc., including the North American brown creeper (Certhia americana, family Certhiidae). 3. a low, wheeled platform on which a mechanic lies while working on the underside of a motor vehicle. |
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Cite this article
"creeper." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "creeper." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-creeper.html "creeper." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-creeper.html |
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creeper
creeper, another name for a small four-hooked grapnel used to recover articles dropped on the seabed by dragging for them. In clear water a white plate or dish dropped overboard immediately after the object falls gives a useful guide to where to use the creeper.
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Cite this article
"creeper." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "creeper." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-creeper.html "creeper." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-creeper.html |
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creeper
creeper
•clapper, crapper, dapper, flapper, grappa, kappa, knapper, mapper, nappa, napper, rapper, sapper, scrapper, snapper, strapper, tapper, trapper, wrapper, yapper, Zappa
•catalpa, scalper
•camper, damper, hamper, pamper, scamper, stamper, Tampa, tamper, tramper
•Caspar, jasper
•handicapper • kidnapper
•whippersnapper
•carper, harper, scarper, sharper
•clasper, gasper, grasper, rasper
•leper, pepper, salt-and-pepper
•helper, yelper
•temper
•Vespa, vesper
•Culpeper • sidestepper
•caper, draper, escaper, gaper, paper, raper, scraper, shaper, taper, vapour (US vapor)
•sandpaper • endpaper • flypaper
•wallpaper • notepaper • newspaper
•skyscraper
•Arequipa, beeper, bleeper, creeper, Dnieper, keeper, leaper, peeper, reaper, sleeper, sweeper, weeper
•gamekeeper • gatekeeper
•greenkeeper (US greenskeeper)
•peacekeeper • innkeeper
•wicketkeeper • timekeeper
•shopkeeper • storekeeper
•housekeeper • goalkeeper
•zookeeper • bookkeeper • treecreeper
•minesweeper
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Cite this article
"creeper." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "creeper." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-creeper.html "creeper." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-creeper.html |
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