Green’s Dictionary of Slang

pike n.³

a look.

1908		Eve. World (NY) 17 Jan. n.p.: The moment you took a pike at their faces you’d button up your coat.
1914		Jackson & Hellyer Vocab. Criminal Sl. 37: Take a pike (pek) at the dump and see if it’s glimmed.
1927		T. Thursday ‘West Goes South’ in Everybody’s Oct. 🌐 Wal, s’long, hombres—I’m gointa take a pike at Miami.
1938		X. Herbert Capricornia (1939) 352: When the machine flew over, course we all jumped up and had a pike at it.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 157/2: Pike. A look; a glance.
1956		B. Behan Quare Fellow (1960) Act I: I’d sooner a pike at a good-looking mot.