Now only Sc. and north. dial. Forms: 4 kike, kyke, keke, 5 keky(y)n, kek, 5–6 Sc. keik, 7– keek. [Not known in OE., but has LG. cognates: MDu. kîken, kieken (Du. kijken), LG. kîken (formerly sometimes used in HG.); Da. kige, Sw. and Norw. kika (prob. from LG.). MDu. and LG. had also kicken (employed by Luther).
It is not clear whether the original ME. form was kīken or kĭken; the former would agree with the continental forms, but the latter would better explain the variant kēken, from which the mod. keek has come down. It is noticeable that the vowel of keek corresponds with that of other words of similar meaning, as peek, peep, peer, Sc. teet, and may be due to analogy or feeling of appropriateness.]
1. intr. To peep; to look privily, as through a narrow aperture, or round a corner; † to glance, gaze (obs.).
c. 1386. Chaucer, Miller’s T., 259. This Nicholas sat capyng euere vp-righte As he had kiked [v.rr. kykyd, keked] on the newe moone. Ibid., 655. Into the roof they kiken [so best MSS.; also kyken, keken, kepen, loken], and they cape.
c. 1400. Beryn, 900. All that he set his eye on, or aftir list to keke Anoon he shuld it have.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 269/2. Kekyyn, or priuely waytyn (K., H., S., P. kekyn), intuor, observo.
1572. Satir. Poems Reform., xxxii. 47. In hoill and boir we byde … Dar not keik out for Rebellis that dois ryde.
a. 1605. Montgomerie, Flyting w. Polwart, 491. Some … in the crowne of it keeks.
a. 1724. in Ramsay, Tea-t. Misc. (1733), I. 60. Keek into the draw-well, Janet.
1802. in Anderson, Cumbld. Ball., 28. I keek by the haystack, and lissen, For fain wad I see Sally Gray.
1889. Barrie, Window in Thrums, xvi. 146. Up you’ll be, keekin’ … through the blind to see if the post’s comin’.
b. fig. Of things.
c. 1470. Henryson, Mor. Fab., viii. (Preach. Swallow). Quhen columbine up keikis throw the clay.
1723. Ramsay, Fair Assembly, xxiv. Where they appear, nae vice dare keek.
1790. A. Wilson, Discons. Wren, Poet. Wks. (1846), 95. The morn was keeking frae the east.
18[?]. H. S. Riddell, Poet. Wks. (1871), I. 36 (E. D. D.). The nest o’ the birds keeking out between The leaves and the roots.
2. In verbal phrases used as sbs., as keek-in-the-stoup, keek-round-corners.
1721. Kelly, Scot. Prov., 226. Keek in the Stoup was ne’er a good Fellow.
1894. Crockett, Raiders, 307. I want nae spies and keek-roon-corners in my hoose!
3. Comb. Keek-bo, peep-bo! bo-peep; Keek-bogle (Sc.), hide-and-seek.
[1791. J. Learmont, Poems, 168. Those who now his favour seek Wad stand afar, An’ ne’er play at him bogle keik.]
1835. Webster, Rhymes, 11 (E. D. D.). The sun … seem’d as if playing keekbo wi’ the moon.
