Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (also eye-peeper) an eye, usu. in pl.

1562		Jacke Juggler Di: Goo or I shall send the hens in the dyuills name [...] nor canst ani maister haue wine shakin, pilorye peepours, [...] or by gods precious I shall breake thy necke.
1656		R. Fletcher (trans.) Martiall his Epigrams I No. 35 6: Lesbia [...] Thy peepers more than active friends delight.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Peepers c. Eyes.
1705–07		N. Ward Hudibras Redivivus II:4 4: No sooner had they fix’d their Peepers / Upon the Life-less Whipper-Snappers.
1714		A. Smith Lives of Most Noted Highway-men, etc. I 231: He did nothing but stamp and rub his Peepers.
1724		‘John Sheppard’s Last Epistle’ in Dly Jrnl (London) 16 Nov. 1: My Peepers are hid from the Light, / The Tumbler wheels off and I Morris.
1737		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1749		H. Fitzcotton (trans.) Homer’s Iliad 40: Like old and skilful sleepers, / They clos’d the curtains of their peepers.
1761		Nancy Dawson’s Jests 36: ’Tis ---- invites you [...] Who lost both his peepers in Venus’s cause.
1772		Bridges Burlesque Homer (3rd edn) 301: He [...] Swears by each finger, limb, and peeper, / He has her fast, and fast he’ll keep her.
1781–2		J. Messink Choice of Harlequin I viii: My peepers! who’ve we here now? why this is sure Black-Moll.
1784		J. O’Keeffe Fontainebleau in Dramatic Works (1798) II 246: When rouz’d by sweet clamour we open our peepers.
1791		Bon Ton Mag. Mar. 39/1: Receiving a blow in the face, which closed her peepers, she was obliged to give in to her opponent.
1797		Sporting Mag. Oct. XI 42/1: I took a guinea from my pocket and [held] it up to my peeper.
c.1800		Song No. 25 Papers of Francis Place (1819) n.p.: Our peepers are hid from the light, / The tumbril shoves off, and we morrice.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1816		W.T. Moncrieff All at Coventry I ii: Yes, Sir, I’ve doctored some of the learned – drawn claret from Sam [...] closed the peepers of Ikey Pig.
1819		‘One of the Fancy’ Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress 23: With grinders dislodg’d, and with peepers both poach’d.
1821–6		‘Bill Truck’ Man o’ War’s Man (1843) 111: His solitary peeper [was] nearly battened up for ever.
1822		Commercial Advertiser (N.Y.) 20 May 2/2: After a few set-to’s, in which both were treated rather Bluntly they were taken into custody — not for drawing each other’s claret or queering each other’s peepers — but for a breach of the peace.
1828		N.Y. Enquirer 15 Apr. 2/4: The Pink had got his other peeper closed; he then stood no chance; and after a severe blow in the bread-basket, gave in.
1832		Egan Bk of Sports 25: The left Peeper of Perkins napt it, and the claret followed.
1836		T. Haliburton Clockmaker I 293: They grow as thin as a sawed lath, their little peepers are as dull as a boiled codfish, their skin looks like yaller fever.
1842		Whip & Satirist of NY & Brooklyn (NY) 1 Jan. n.p.: The winking and blinking had left him, and his peepers were both open.
1845		J. Lindridge Sixteen-String Jack 206: A thin gaunt-looking fellow with one eye [...] rejoiced in the appelation of ‘One-Peeper-Tom’.
1845		Bell’s Life in Sydney 11 Oct. 2/5: Scotchie’s left peeper completely benighted.
1853		Life in Boston & N.Y. (Boston, MA) 8 Oct. n.p.: Two beautiful peepers produced by [...] her own man’s pugilistic apparatus.
1855		Delhi Sketch Bk 1 July 76/2: With faces as flat as the top of my hat, / And peepers no bigger than peas, peas.
1858		A. Mayhew Paved with Gold 191: Then they went to work slogging, Jack delivering a ‘head-acher’ on the ‘wool-grower,’ and Ned one not to be winked at on the ‘peepers’.
1859		Bell’s Life in Tasmania 13 Sept. 3/6: A sharp one two on the peepers.
1860		Sporting Life (London) 17 Oct. 3/4: Tyler let fly his left duke bang on Gillam’s snorter, and again [...] on the left peeper.
1869		J. Greenwood Seven Curses of London 91: I’ve often wondered what must be a chap’s feelings when the white cap is pulled over his peepers, and old Calcraft is pawing about his throat, to get the rope right.
1872		G.P. Burnham Memoirs of the US Secret Service 133: The tears came into the ancient hypocrite’s peepers.
1880		Bulletin (Sydney) 25 Sept. 2/2: Hits out and lands an awful crack / On Joseph’s dexter ‘peeper’.
1885		M. Davitt Leaves from a Prison Diary I 151: I blakked Polly S—’s peepers who called me names she was fuddled and hit me fust.
1889		Times-Democrat (New Orleans, LA) 9 July 3/6: Prize Ring Slang [...] ‘goggles,’ ‘ogles,’ ‘peepers,’ ‘squinters,’ the eyes.
1890		H. Lawson ‘A Word with Texas Jack’ in Roderick (1967–9) I 66: The plucky men of Ballarat who toed the scratch right well / And broke the nose of Tyranny and made his peepers swell.
1891		G.R. Sims ‘Pickpocket Poems’ Dagonet Ditties 93: Then I’d one that struck stars from my peeper.
c.1886		Tilly Touchitt 44: Open your pretty eue-peepers again.
1895		Riverina Recorder (Moulamein, NSW) 13 Nov. 4/4: The ‘old man’ ought to keep his peepers open.
1898		Regiment 25 June 197/3: ‘There’s one for Ireland’s eye, you ugly looking bosthoon,’ and Pat landed the coloured soldier one in the right peeper.
1901		B. Pain De Omnibus 55: ’E’d gort a pink-coloured shide over ’is left peeper.
1902		E. Townsend Chimmie Fadden and Mr Paul 95: Gags to make you laugh on one block and pump weeps to your peepers de next.
1903		Bulletin (Sydney) 10 Dec. 21/2: A fight of course. ‘Into him, Ginger!’ ‘Scrag him, Arty!’ Then arose this manly voice, ‘Right in the — peeper. Never mind, rub some sand in it, Ginger.’.
1907		W.M. Raine Wyoming (1908) 136: We set our peepers on Judd.
1911		T.A. Dorgan in Zwilling TAD Lex. (1993) 34: Judge!! I didn’t hardly git in the house before me wife wing me on the peeper wid a loaf of dummy an —.
1917		‘Henry Handel Richardson’ Aus. Felix (1971) 31: ‘There’s going to be no trifling with the girl’s feelings, I hope.’ ‘Bosh! But I say, Dick, I wish you’d turn your peepers on ’er.’.
1918		Boy’s Own Paper XL:5 282: I [...] got a reprimand from the boss for not keeping my peepers skinned.
1919		E. Dyson ‘The Single-Handed Team’ ‘Hello, Soldier!’ 100: A Hun he crooled me lovely youth / By bombin’ out me right ’and peeper.
1929		B. Duffy Rocky Road 156: The first time I clap my peepers on him I’ll tell ye.
1934		H. Roth Call It Sleep (1977) 101: Me peepers are still watherin’!
1935		Thieves Slang ms list from District Police Training Centre, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Warwicks 8: Peepers: Eyes.
1946		Mezzrow & Wolfe Really the Blues 88: They sure gave me the glad-hand when they laid their peepers on my new car.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 154/2: Peepers. The eyes.
1959		A. Sillitoe ‘Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner’ in Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner (1960) 22: What I don’t know [...] is which of us was the first bastard to latch his peeper’s on that bakers’ backyard.
1963–74		B. Humphries Barry McKenzie [comic strip] in Complete Barry McKenzie (1988) 18: First bit of decent pom talent I’ve clapped peepers on.
1969		‘Iceberg Slim’ Pimp 76: Her pig peepers were two sexy dancers in [...] her cute Pekingese face.
1976		(ref. to 1930s) R. Barnes Coronation Cups and Jam Jars 71: He’d get as close as he could to you, and take out his glass peeper. It’d fair turn you over.
1979		J. Morrow Confessions of Proinsias O’Toole 98: They’d soon straighten your peepers, no trouble.
1989		M. Amis London Fields 401: He was watching the proceedings on the small screen. His peepers bulged.
1995		R. Campbell Wizard of La-La Land (1999) 1: Still getting used to the loss of one peeper.
1998		P. McCabe Breakfast on Pluto 37: I simpered and would those peepers answer: ‘Yes!’.
1999		Guardian G2 14 Sept. 6: Saggy, baggy flesh removed from above and below a pair of blue peepers.
2004		E. Weiner Drop Dead, My Lovely (2005) 86: She batted her pea-green peepers at me.
2012		A. Bergen ‘Dread Fellow Churls’ in Crime Factory: Hard Labour [ebook] While I was blinking rapidly that peeper over there walked the same beat.
2012		T. Pluck ‘Summer of Blind Joe Death’ in Life During Wartime (2018) 161: ‘The one who went plumb bereft and clawed out his own peepers when his woman died’.
2015		L. McInerney Glorious Heresies 87: ‘Scruffy fella, big brown peepers, married a dago lasher’.
2021		T. Pluck Boy from County Hell 35: An eye patch covered her left peeper.

2. a looking-glass, a mirror.

1674		Head Canting Academy (2nd edn).
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Peeper c. a Looking-glass. Track the Dancers, and pike with the Peepers, c. whip up the Stairs, and trip off with the Looking-glass.
1707		J. Shirley Triumph of Wit 194: Track the Dancers and pike with the Peepers [Go up Stairs and tip off with the Looking-glass].
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
c.1750–1882		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.
1754		Scoundrel’s Dict. 18: A Looking glass – Peeper.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.

3. glass, e.g. a window.

1707		J. Shirley Triumph of Wit 195: The Ratling-mumper broke the Ratling peeper [The Coach-beggar has broken the Coach-glass].
1725		Dr Saman Golden Cabinet of Secrets [as cit. 1707].

4. a telescope, a spy-glass.

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.

5. in pl., spectacles.

1808

in Jamieson Etym. Dict. Scot. Lang. n.p.: Peepers... a cant term for spectacles.

6. a spectator (at a prize-fight).

1825

Pierce Egan’s Life in London 13 Mar. 53/1: Not a few of the peepers were of rank enough to feel queer should they have been suspected of any vulgar predilection for the mill.

7. a police officer; a security officer, e.g. in a hotel.

1908		A.N. Lyons Arthur’s 23: We come to a landlord as was a Guardian, an’ ’e set the peepers after us.
1943		R. Chandler Lady in the Lake (1952) 207: I’m allergic to house peepers.
1949		R. Chandler Little Sister 47: Who’s the house peeper here now?

8. (US black) a spyhole.

1941

D. Burley N.Y. Amsterdam Star-News 19 July 13: Somebody is gimming me from a peeper in th’ slammer.

9. (US) in pl., sunglasses.

1999		W. Coleman Mambo Hips 141: Always in those immortal black-on-black sunglasses. ‘Those are some peepers, Josey.’.
2001		D. Barry Chivalry of Crime 42: Snap up your hand, boy, and trust your eyes, said Mr. Ford. Even if you do wear peepers.

10. a private investigator, with implications of voyeurism; thus attrib.

1938		R. Chandler ‘Red Wind’ in Red Wind (1946) 51: You look O.K. to me [...] for a keyhole peeper.
1938		Pittsburgh Courier (PA) 19 Feb. 11/7: [of a gossip columnist] We of the infamous clan of keyhole peepers.
1946		J. Evans Halo in Blood (1988) 104: I don’ forget that kick in the shins, peeper.
1953		R. Chandler Long Good-Bye 294: ‘A two-bit peeper,’ Menendez said slowly, ‘figures he can make a monkey out of Mendy Menendez.’.
1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 147: peepers [...] 2. those who use their eyes professionally – detectives, spies, etc.
1986		Cincinnati Enquirer (OH) 1 Feb. 45/4: Sledge [...] says he’s a P.I., a shamus, [...] a snooper, a peeper.
2004		E. Weiner Drop Dead, My Lovely (2005) 48: We go by many names: private eye, peeper, flatfoot, gumshoe [etc.].
2023		(con. 1962) J. Ellroy Enchanters 33: They supplied high-up/look-down access [...] That meant peeper range [...] I’m a seasoned peeper/burglar.

11. a Peeping Tom, a voyeur; one who takes pleasure from looking.

1940		Aus. Women’s Wkly 13 July 44/1: He was grinning with the ugly, cold satisfaction of the peeper.
1948		Mail (Adelaide) 9 Oct. 3/4: Hardest type of peeping tom to catch was the mid-summer daylight peper [...] gazing at girls sunbathing.
1953		Mirror (Perth) 7 Nov. 1/2: This summer is to be a gala season for perverts, pwolers and peepers.
1964		Aus. Women’s Wkly 18 Nov. 69/1: Certainly a window peeper was a twisted human being, both unstable and unpredictable.
1970		G.F. Newman Sir, You Bastard 48: I have an arrangement with the peeper across the road.
1987		P. Robinson Gallows View (2002) 203: Bloody hell, you think I’m that peeping Tom, don’t you? You think I’m the bloody peeper!
1998		G. Burn Happy Like Murderers 141: He was a peeper. Such an appetite he had for just looking.
2006		C. Hiaasen Nature Girl 203: Eugene Fonda confronted him as if he were a common restroom peeper.
2019		M. Herron Joe Country [ebook] ‘Fuck-ups, basket-cases, druggies and drunks. Now a kiddy-porn peeper’.
2021		J. Ellroy Widespread Panic 39: ‘Alfred Hitchcock?’ ‘Peeper’.