subs. (common).—1. A spy-glass; (2) the eye; and (3), in pl. = a pair of spectacles. Hence PAINTED PEEPERS (or PEEPERS IN MOURNING) = black eyes.—B. E. (c. 1696); DYCHE (1748); GROSE (1785).
ENGLISH SYNONYMS. Blinkers; daylights; glaziers; glims; mutton-pies (rhyming slang); ogles; optics; sees; winkers.
1656. R. FLETCHER, Martiall, I. 51. Thy PEEPERS more than active friends delight.
1707. WARD, Hudibras Redivivus, II. iv. 4. No sooner had they fix’d their PEEPERS Upon the lifeless Whipper-Snappers.
1795. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. PEEPER. A spying glass.
1808. JAMIESON, An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language, s.v. PEEPERS … a cant term for spectacles.
1818. P. EGAN, Boxiana, II. 43. His PEEPERS were taken measure of for a suit of mourning.
1821. P. EGAN, Life in London, II. v. If you have even the good fortune to keep your PEEPERS from being measured for a suit of mourning, you are perhaps … in more real danger among the refined heroes.
1822. SCOTT, The Fortunes of Nigel, xvi. Chalk him across the PEEPERS with your cheery.
1831. G. ALMAR, Pedlar’s Acre, ii. 3. There’s something to open your aged PEEPERS.
1848. E. Z. C. JUDSON (‘Ned Buntline’), The Mysteries and Miseries of New York, x. You just keep cool, and say nothing, but use your PEEPERS.
1857. THACKERAY, The Virginians, xvi. Keep on anointing my mistress’s dainty PEEPERS with the very strongest ointment, so that my noddle may ever appear lovely to her.
1861. H. CHOLMONDELEY-PENNELL, Puck on Pegasus, 16.
| Slave! (I said) base Kitchen-creeper! (said I) I will stop your PEEPER! | |
| I will tap your claret. |
1864. Times, 18 Oct. Which will at least, my gentle friends, open your PEEPERS for the rest of time.
1891. Licensed Victuallers’ Mirror, 30 Jan., 7, 3. Jones had one of his PEEPERS … ornamented with a fringe of black.
4. (old).—A looking-glass.—B. E. (c. 1696); DYCHE (1748); GROSE (1785).
SINGLE PEEPER, subs. phr. (common).—A one-eyed man.—GROSE (1785).
