peepern.1
/ˈpiːpə/, U.S. /ˈpipər/ 1. Something which peeps or cheeps; spec. a young chicken (or occasionally a young pigeon). Now chiefly U.S.
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the world > animals > birds > order Galliformes (fowls) > family Phasianidae (pheasants, etc.) > genus Gallus (domestic fowl) > [noun] > member of (fowl) > young or chicken
chickenOE
chicka1398
poulta1425
chicken birdc1450
peepera1586
peepling1594
game chicken1674
peep1688
spring chicken1765
clucker1779
chickabiddy1785
chicklet1836
chickie1851
wing-chick1885
pee-pee1890
the world > animals > birds > perching birds > order Columbiformes (pigeons, etc.) > [noun] > family Columbidae > pigeon > young
dove-birdc1200
culver-bird1382
peepera1586
squab1694
dovelet1825
pigeon-poult1885
piper1885
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > quality of voice > [noun] > power or range of voice > small or weak voice > person
peepera1586
a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1593) i. sig. H3 Betwixt them two the peeper tooke his nest, Where snugging well he well appear'd content.
1591 J. Lyly Endimion v. ii. sig. H4v I preferre..an ancient henne before a younge chicken peeper.
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Pepieur, a peeper, cheeper; puler.
1626 W. Vaughan Golden Fleece ii. xvii. 98 Those, which hunt for curious cheere, Chicken Peepers, and Pheasants deere.
a1657 G. Daniel Trinarchodia: Henry V cclvii, in Poems (1878) IV. 165 But nobly cover with a Wing wide Spread; Feathers above 'em to Surround them All, Amated peepers.
1733 J. Bramston Man of Taste 14 Snails the first course, and Peepers crown the meal.
1755 S. Johnson Dict. Eng. Lang. Peeper, a young chicken just breaking the shell.
1894 Jrnl. Anthropol. Inst. 23 352 A very young chicken, a peeper.
1937 Sci. Monthly Sept. 236/1 In Italy this bird is now piphione, literally a young pigeon, a ‘peeper.’
2000 Slate Mag. (Nexis) 9 May I go out to feed him [sc. a rooster] and the hens and the peepers a handful of mash.
2. U.S. A small tree frog of the genus Hyla; esp. (more fully spring peeper) a very small, brownish-grey tree frog with a dark cross on the back, H. crucifer, of eastern North America, the male of which sings in early spring.
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the world > animals > amphibians > order Anura or Salienta (frogs and toads) > [noun] > types of frog or toad > suborder Procoela > family Hylidae > spring peeper
rain frog1827
peeper1851
spring peeper1855
1851 J. H. Mather & L. P. Brockett Geogr. Hist. N.Y. 43 The peeper or cricket frog, called in Savannah, the Savannah cricket.
1857 S. H. Hammond Wild Northern Scenes 30 All is still now, save the piping notes of the little peeper along the shore.
1889 G. H. Ellwanger Garden's Story i. 19 The chorus of the Hylodes, or peepers,..that piercing treble..that nothing—even the katydid—can equal in strident intensity.
1906 M. C. Dickerson Frog Bk. 139 There are few people in the eastern United States who do not know the voices of the Spring Peepers... The Peepers have spring in their hearts.
1938 J. W. Lippincott Animal Neighbours (1940) xx. 192 The ridiculously small spring frog or peeper, an inch and a quarter long, comes first, sometime in March.
1990 New Age Jrnl. June 20/1 These web-footed tree frogs known as spring peepers were hibernating under leaves, moss, or logs.
3. English regional (Cornwall). The red gurnard, Chelidonichthys. Cf. piper n.1 2a.
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the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > order Scorpaeniformes (scorpion-fish) > [noun] > family Triglidae (gurnards) > genus Trigla > trigla cuculus (red gurnard)
rochet1345
cur1589
red fish1611
rocketa1655
red gurnarda1672
sea-cock1704
soldier1846
elleck1862
peeper1880
latchett1882
1880 M. A. Courtney W. Cornwall Words in M. A. Courtney & T. Q. Couch Gloss. Words Cornwall 17/2 There is another species of tub-fish caught here (Mousehole) very similar to, but much smaller than the former..sometimes called Piper or Peeper, and by others Ellick, Denneck, or Redannech.
1963 R. M. Nance Gloss. Cornish Sea-words 126 Piper.., the variant ‘peeper’ is applied to Trigla cuculus Linn. (Couch).
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
peepern.2
/ˈpiːpə/, U.S. /ˈpipər/ 1.
a. A person who peeps or peers; esp. one who pries or looks furtively, or in a voyeuristic way; = peeping Tom n.
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the mind > attention and judgement > [noun] > impertinent curiosity, prying > action of prying > person engaged in
pryer1552
peeper1607
poker1608
Paul Pry1826
snooper1889
nosy parker1896
stickybeak1917
nosy1931
curtain-twitcher1940
prodnose1965
1607 T. Dekker & J. Webster West-ward Hoe ii. ii. sig. D2v Whose there? Peepers: Intelligencers: Euesdroppers.
1652 J. Gaule Πυς-μαντια 375 He..had his eyes put out; an apt punishment for all peepers, and Star-gazers.
1711 R. Steele Spectator No. 53. ⁋8 I doubt not but you will think a Peeper as much more pernicious than a Starer.
1795 J. Wolcot Convent. Bill in Wks. (1812) III. 380 Then let the bullet..Dismiss the saucy Peeper to the dead.
1843 C. Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit (1844) xvi. 193 Here's the New York Family Spy! Here's the New York Private Listener! Here's the New York Peeper!
1973 Times 27 Aug. 2/5 Peterborough police are patrolling the Nene embankment after complaints that Peeping Toms are spying on courting couples. Mr Charles Swift..said the peepers are members of a group.
2003 Gay Times Feb. 61/3 If you view others, without their knowledge or consent..then peepers can expect up to two years in the slammers.
b. slang (chiefly North American). A private detective or investigator. Also occasionally: a police officer.
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society > law > law enforcement > investigation of crime > [noun] > detective > who watches or follows
shadow1859
peeper1908
tail1914
tag1966
the mind > attention and judgement > enquiry > investigation, inspection > secret observation, spying > procedures used in spying > [noun] > private detection > person engaged in
private detective1857
eye1874
Pinkerton1877
ferret1891
consultant1894
private investigator1894
Sherlock Holmes1896
operative1901
Sherlock1903
Sherlockian1903
Pink1904
peeper1908
private dick1912
op1924
shamus1925
private eye1938
PI1953
peep1974
1908 A. M. N. Lyons Arthur's i. ii. 23 At last we dropped the game altogether, 'cause we come to a landlord as was a Guardian, an' 'e set the peepers after us.
1939 R. Chandler Big Sleep xxvi. 229 The peeper told Eddie some guy in a gray Plymouth was tailing him.
1968 ‘E. McGirr’ Lead-lined Coffin ii. 64 He..flipped the wallet open. ‘A peeper,’ he said.
1980 H. Engel Suicide Murders (1985) xv. 102 You know as well as I do that a peeper isn't licenced to carry a piece since 1966, right?
1998 T. F. Monteleone Night of Broken Souls 9 He looked more like a Wall Street trainee than a detective. ‘This guy's a peeper.’
2. † a. slang. A mirror; (also, occasionally) a spyglass. Obsolete.† c. A small window. Obsolete.Apparently an isolated use.
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the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > optical instruments > mirror > [noun] > looking-glass
looking-glass1526
Venice glass1527
tooting-glassc1560
seeing-glass1565
girdle-glassa1652
Venice looking-glass1655
considering-glass1660
peeper1673
long glass1680
table glass1688
dressing glass1697
keeking-glassa1724
toilet glass1729
long mirror1793
swing-glass1809
hand glass1832
cheval-glass1836
psyche1838
tire-glass1844
tiring-glass1844
driving mirror1907
wing mirror1925
swing mirror1930
vanity mirror1959
1673 R. Head Canting Acad. 43 Peeper, a Looking glass.
1694 N. H. Ladies Dict. 380 Peeper, a Looking-glass.
1785 F. Grose Classical Dict. Vulgar Tongue Peeper, a spying glass; and also a looking glass, (cant).
b. slang. In plural. A pair of spectacles. Now rare.
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the world > health and disease > healing > ophthalmology or optometry > aids to defective vision > [noun] > spectacles
spectaclec1386
a pair of spectacles1423
ocularies?a1425
barnaclea1566
eye1568
sight-glasses1605
glass eye1608
prospective glass1616
sights1619
prospectivea1635
nose-compasses1654
glass1660
lunettes1681
peeper1699
eyeglass1760
specs1807
winker1816
gig-lamps1853
nose-riders1875
window1896
cheaters1920
1699 E. Ward London Spy I. xii. 8 He at last pulls out his artificial Peepers, which he mounted upon the handle of his face.
1699 B. E. New Dict. Canting Crew Queere-peepers, c. old fashion'd, ord'nary, black-framed, or common Looking glasses.
1825 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. Suppl. Peepers, a cant term for spectacles, Roxb.
2003 Boston Globe (Nexis) 25 May 7 Old timers still, if rarely, call their glasses peepers, although now they are far more likely to call them specs or spectacles.
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society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > window or door > types of window > [noun] > small window
fenestrellec1420
windolet1592
mezzaninec1720
fenestella1848
peeper1899
1899 S. Baring-Gould Bk. of West I. ii. 30 The windows..are small, and the brown thatch is lifted above these peepers.
3. slang. An eye. Frequently in plural.
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the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > eye > [noun]
eyeeOE
the fleshly eyec1175
balla1400
window1481
glazier1567
light1580
crystal1592
orb1594
glass1597
optic1601
twinkler1605
lampa1616
watchera1616
wink-a-peeps1615
visive organa1652
ogle1673
peeper1691
goggle?1705
visual orb1725
orbit1727
winker1734
peep?1738
daylights?1747
eyewinker1808
keeker1808
glimmer1814
blinker1816
glim1820
goggler1821
skylight1824
ocular1825
mince pie1857
saucer1858
mince1937
1691 J. Dunton Voy. round World 19 They [sc. Hands] strole in conjunction with his Eyes..cropping here and there..such delicate choice Flowers as present themselves to his Inquisitive Peepers.
1699 B. E. New Dict. Canting Crew Peepers, Eyes.
1755 J. Shebbeare Lydia (1769) II. 181 An understanding as much distorted and awry as his two peepers.
1785 F. Grose Classical Dict. Vulgar Tongue Peepers, eyes; single peeper, a one eyed man.
1819 Sporting Mag. 5 6 A slight cut on the right peeper.
1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) xiv. 126 A secret..invisible..to the stupid peepers of that young whiskered prig.
1894 Nation 29 Nov. 399/3 He would rather not have to draw his claret and close his peepers.
1937 G. Frankau More of Us iv. 42 She winked one peeper.
1968 A. Diment Bang Bang Birds vii. 108 There was a leer in his rheumy peepers as he gave Marianne a mental strip.
1991 Sun 16 Dec. 26/2 I need mascara to separate and lengthen my eyelashes. Every woman needs a good frame for her peepers.
4. English regional. The scarlet pimpernel, Anagallis arvensis.
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > particular flower or plant esteemed for flower > [noun] > agrimony or lady's mantle or burnet > pimpernel
wayworta1300
pimpernel?a1425
sicklewortc1450
craches1530
margeline1572
wink-a-peep1626
shepherd's sun-dial1823
poor man's, or shepherd's, weather-glass1827
shepherd's weatherglass1827
shepherd's calendar1832
scarlet pimpernel1855
shepherd's dial1865
shepherd's clock1878
shepherd's glass1886
peeper1888
shepherd's hourglass1909
1888 F. A. Lees Flora W. Yorks. 795 Anagallis arvensis L., Local names: Shepherd's Weatherglass; Shepherd Red-eye; and ‘Peepers’.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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