or tweer, tour, towre.—1.  To peep, to look round cautiously, to peer: cf. TOWER. [TOUR (the canting form: see TOWER) possibly originated in TWIRE being carelessly written.] Whence (2) (old) = to leer, to ‘make eyes. ‘As subs. = a glance, a leer. TWIREPIPE = a peeping Tom.

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  1598.  SHAKESPEARE, Sonnets, 28.

        So flatter I the swart-complexion’d night;
When sparkling stars TWIRE not, thou gildst the even.

2

  1602.  MARSTON, Antonio and Mellida, iv. In good sadness, I would have sworn I had seen Mellida even now; for I saw a thing stir under a hedge, and I peep’d, and I spied a thing, and I peer’d and I TWEER’D underneath.

3

  1604.  MIDDLETON, Father Hubburd’s Tales. The TWEERING constable of Finsbury.

4

  1619.  FLETCHER, Monsieur Thomas, iii. 1.

        You are … a TWIRE-PIPE, A Jeffrey John Bo-peep.
    Ibid. (c. 1620), Women Pleased, iv. 1.
I saw the wench that TWIR’D and twinkled at thee,
The other day.

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  1637.  JONSON, The Sad Shepherd, ii. 1. Which maids will TWIRE at ’tween their fingers thus!

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  1676.  ETHEREGE, The Man of Mode, iii. 3. The silly By-words, and Amorous TWEERS in passing.

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  1722.  STEELE, The Conscious Lovers, i. 1. If I were rich, I could TWIRE and loll as well as the best of them.

8

  1822.  SCOTT, The Fortunes of Nigel. Tour the bien mort TWIRING the gentry cove.

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