| Peer | v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Peered p. pr. & vb. n. Peering. ] [ OF. parir, pareir equiv. to F. paraître to appear, L. parere. Cf. Appear. ] 1. To come in sight; to appear. [ Poetic ] [ 1913 Webster ] So honor peereth in the meanest habit. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] See how his gorget peers above his gown! B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. [ Perh. a different word; cf. OE. piren, LG. piren. Cf. Pry to peep. ] To look narrowly or curiously or intently; to peep; as, the peering day. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] Peering in maps for ports, and piers, and roads. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] As if through a dungeon grate he peered. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Peer | n. [ OE. per, OF. per, F. pair, fr. L. par equal. Cf. Apparel, Pair, Par, n., Umpire. ] 1. One of the same rank, quality, endowments, character, etc.; an equal; a match; a mate. [ 1913 Webster ] In song he never had his peer. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ] Shall they consort only with their peers? I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. A comrade; a companion; a fellow; an associate. [ 1913 Webster ] He all his peers in beauty did surpass. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. A nobleman; a member of one of the five degrees of the British nobility, namely, duke, marquis, earl, viscount, baron; as, a peer of the realm. [ 1913 Webster ] A noble peer of mickle trust and power. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]
House of Peers,
The Peers, the British House of Lords. See Parliament. --
Spiritual peers, the bishops and archibishops, or lords spiritual, who sit in the House of Lords. [ 1913 Webster ]
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| Peerage | n. [ See Peer an equal, and cf. Parage. ] 1. The rank or dignity of a peer. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. The body of peers; the nobility, collectively. [ 1913 Webster ] When Charlemain with all his peerage fell. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Peerless | a. Having no peer or equal; matchless; superlative. “Her peerless feature.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] Unvailed her peerless light. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] --Peer"less*ly, adv. -- Peer"less*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ] |
