Definition

Noun: A person who gains sexual pleasure from secretly watching others, especially when those others are undressing, naked, or engaged in sexual activity. The term implies a furtive, intrusive, and non-consensual act of voyeurism.

Usage

The term "Peeping Tom" is used to label and condemn a person who engages in the act of voyeurism. It is a strongly negative term. * It is typically used as a countable noun. * It often appears in news reports or legal contexts concerning such behavior. * The term originates from the legend of Lady Godiva, where a man named Tom was struck blind for peeping at her.

Examples

• The police arrested a Peeping Tom who had been looking into apartment windows at night.
• She felt violated when she discovered a Peeping Tom outside her bathroom window.
• The new security lights were installed to deter any potential Peeping Toms.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically to criticize someone who is intrusively curious about private matters, though this is less common.
  • The journalist was accused of being a Peeping Tom for digging into the star's personal medical records.

Variants and Related Words

• Voyeur (noun): A more formal, clinical term for a person who derives sexual pleasure from observing others. "Peeping Tom" is a specific, colloquial type of voyeur.
• Voyeurism (noun): The practice or condition of being a voyeur.
• Peep (verb): To look quickly and secretly, especially through a small opening.

Synonyms

• Voyeur
• Snoop (though "snoop" is more general and less specifically sexual)
• Prowler (can imply someone who moves stealthily, possibly to peep)

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Peeping Tom is itself an idiom, derived from the proper name in the Lady Godiva legend. There are no common phrasal verbs directly associated with it. The related verb is simply "to peep."

Noun

1. a viewer who enjoys seeing the sex acts or sex organs of others