peeps

[George Thompson]

In these two passages, "peeps" seems to equal "fools", not "people" --
which, I suppose, might be the etymology, though.

GAT

George A. Thompson
Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern
Univ. Pr., 1998, but nothing much lately.

----- Original Message -----
From: George Thompson <george.thompson at nyu.edu>
Date: Wednesday, March 8, 2006 10:43 am
Subject: peeps

> A day or so ago, JL sent us a farrago of current street talk.  I noted
> with interest the appearance in it of the word "peep" -- I assume
> shortening of "people"?  I don't see the word in the OED.
>
> Here is the same word in a different sense, from the underground press
> of 1853:
>
>        If that peep, who goes by the name of W—n, . . . don’t put a
> stop to his blowing, he may get himself in trouble.
>        Life in Boston and New York, October 1, 1853, p. 3, col. 2
>
>        Those four Micks who hang out in Grand, a few doors from Allen
> street, make perfect peeps of themselves by putting on such airs.
>        Life in Boston and New York, October 1, 1853, p. 3, col. 8
>
> GAT
>
> George A. Thompson
> Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern
> Univ. Pr., 1998, but nothing much lately.
>
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>

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