Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PEEP, v.i. [Ir. piobam, to pipe, to peep; D. piepen, to pipe, to chirp; G. pfeifen; Sw. pipa; Dan. piper, pipper; L. pipio. The primary sense is to open or to shoot, to thrust out or forth; Dan. pipper frem, to sprout, to bud. This coincides with pipe, fife, &c., Heb. יבב, to cry out, Abib, &c.]

1. To begin to appear; to make the first appearance; to issue or come forth from concealment, as through a narrow avenue. I can see his pride / Peep through each part of him. – Shak. When flowers first peeped. – Dryden.
2. To look through a crevice; to look narrowly, closely or slily. A fool will peep in at the door. – Ecclus. Thou art a maid and must not peep. – Prior.
3. To cry, as chickens; to utter a fine shrill sound, as through a crevice; usually written pip, but without reason, as it is the same word as is here defined, and in America usually pronounced peep.