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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Peep \Peep\, verb (used without an object) [imp. & p. p. {Peeped}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Peeping}.] [Of imitative origin; cf. OE. pipen, F. piper, p['e]pier, L. pipire, pipare, pipiare, D. & G. piepen. Senses 2 and 3 perhaps come from a transfer of sense from the sound which chickens make upon the first breaking of the shell to the act accompanying it; or perhaps from the influence of peek, or peak. Cf. {Pipe}.]
1. To cry, as a chicken hatching or newly hatched; to chirp; to cheep.
There was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. --Is. x. 14.
2. To begin to appear; to look forth from concealment; to make the first appearance.
When flowers first peeped, and trees did blossoms bear. --Dryden.
3. To look cautiously or slyly; to peer, as through a crevice; to pry.
eep through the blanket of the dark. --Shak.
From her cabined loophole peep. --Milton.
{Peep sight}, an adjustable piece, pierced with a small hole to peep through in aiming, attached to a rifle or other firearm near the breech.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Peep \Peep\, noun
1. The cry of a young chicken; a chirp.
2. First outlook or appearance.
Oft have we seen him at the peep of dawn. --Gray.
3. A sly look; a look as through a crevice, or from a place of concealment.
To take t' other peep at the stars. --Swift.
4. (Zo["o]l.) (a) Any small sandpiper, as the least sandpiper ({Trigna minutilla}). (b) The European meadow pipit ({Anthus pratensis}).
{Peep show}, a small show, or object exhibited, which is viewed through an orifice or a magnifying glass.
{Peep-o'-day boys}, the Irish insurgents of 1784; -- so called from their visiting the house of the loyal Irish at day break in search of arms. [Cant]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
peep
noun
1: the short weak cry of a young bird [syn: {cheep}]
2: a secret look [syn: {peek}]
verb
1: look furtively; "He peeped at the woman through the window"
2: cause to appear; "he peeped his head through the window"
3: make high-pitched sounds; of birds [syn: {twirp}, {cheep}, {chirp}, {chirrup}]
4: speak in a hesitant and high-pitched tone of voice
5: appear as though from hiding; "the new moon peeped through the tree tops"
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
91 Moby Thesaurus words for "peep": bend the eyes, blink, bug, cackle, call, carol, case, cast, caw, chatter, cheep, chip, chipper, chirk, chirm, chirp, chirr, chirrup, chitter, chuck, clack, cluck, cock-a-doodle-doo, complaint, coo, croak, cronk, crow, cuckoo, direct the eyes, drum, flash, gabble, gaggle, gander, glance, glimpse, gobble, grumble, guggle, half an eye, honk, hoo, hoot, look, look over, make a reconnaissance, meddle, murmur, nose, ogle, outcry, peek, peer, pip, pipe, play peekaboo, play the spy, protest, protestation, pry, put under surveillance, quack, quick sight, rapid glance, reconnoiter, roll, scold, scout, scout out, sing, slant, snoop, sound, spy, spy out, squawk, squeak, squiz, stake out, stare, take a peep, trill, tweedle, tweet, twit, twitter, warble, watch, whistle, wink
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