A beep is a noise, generally of a single tone, often generated by a machine. In some computer terminals, the ASCII character code 7, bell character, outputs an audible beep. Beeps are also used as a warning when a truck or bus is reversing — a sound sometimes referred to as a Nader bell.

A beep is also considered a colloquialism to describe a second telephone call coming in on the same phone line as someone is currently speaking, either on a landline or mobile phone. The call waiting feature often gives an audible "beep" noise to indicate that there is a second call coming in, and thus people may say "I have a beep."

When called bleep, it usually refers specifically to the sound introduce to overwrite or delay potentially offensive material.

"Meep"

Meep is an onomatopoeic interjection that is often considered to be a recent variation of "beep."

Meep is used by many modern day school children and teens (mostly those conditioned by internet slang) as an exclamation, compared to a meaningless and random answer such as meh. It can also be a sort of squeaking, frightened noise, like a mouse squeak.

"MEEP" can also be an acronym with a number of different meanings.^[1]

In popular culture

• "Meep-meep" is often considered (incorrectly) to be the only verbal statement by the Warner Brothers cartoon character The Road Runner. ^{citation needed]} According to the producers, it is actually meant to be "Beep-beep".^[2]
• "Meep" is used by Google Talk’s voicemail feature, which has "Please leave your message after the meep" instead of the more common "Please leave your message after the beep."
• "Meep" is the sound uttered by a hot spring turtle, Tama, in the popular anime and manga Love Hina.
• "Meep-meep" is also often used as 'excuse me,' in a silly or fun manner.
• "Meep" is used in Spongebob Squarepants by anchovies as an interjection. Normally, a chain reaction will occur when one anchovy speaks up and soon the entire group is chanting the nonsense.