sneak

to move about a place in a sneaky or stealthy fashion. Please don't sneak around the house. It makes me nervous. Please stop sneaking around!

to go away from a place quietly and in secret. Jeff tried to sneak away from the party, but Judy saw him. They sneaked away together.

to enter a place quietly and in secret, perhaps without a ticket or permission. The kids tried to sneak into the rock concert, but they were stopped by the guards. Never try to sneak in. Sometimes they arrest you for trespassing.

to go out of a place quietly and in secret. I sneaked out of the meeting, hoping no one would notice. Jamie saw me and sneaked out with me.

to approach someone or something quietly and in secret. Please don't sneak up on me like that. I sneaked up on the cake, hoping no one would see me. someone did.

to move close to someone or something quietly and in secret. I sneaked up to Don and scared him to death. Don sneaked up to the punch bowl and helped himself before the party began.

An advance showing of something, as in It was supposed to be bad luck but she gave the bridegroom a sneak preview of her wedding gown . This expression originated in the 1930s for a single public showing of a motion picture before its general release, and in succeeding decades was transferred to other undertakings.

Attempt something that's impossible, or be slick enough to do something by stealth. This predominantly Southern expression was famously used by California Angels first baseman Joe Adock, who said that “trying to sneak a pitch past [Atlanta Braves hitting great] Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak the sunrise past a rooster.”