Definition of "peer"

[…] I should be stillPlucking the grass, to know where sits the wind,Peering in maps for ports, and piers, and roads;

c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene i]

And strait the Sun was fleck’d with bars / (Heaven’s mother send us grace) / As if thro’ a dungeon grate he peer’d / With broad and burning face.

1798, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner in Lyrical Ballads, London: J. & A. Arch, Part III, p. 17

He walked slowly past the gate and peered through a narrow gap in the cedar hedge. The girl was moving along a sanded walk, toward a gray, unpainted house, with a steep roof, broken by dormer windows.

1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars‎, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, page 10

He would peek into the curtained windows, or, climbing upon the roof, peer down the black depths of the chimney in vain endeavor to solve the unknown wonders that lay within those strong walls.

1912 October, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “Tarzan of the Apes”, in The All-Story, New York, N.Y.: Frank A. Munsey Co.; republished as chapter 6, in Tarzan of the Apes, New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, 1914 June, page 65

And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds,So honour peereth in the meanest habit.

c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene iii]

See, how his gorget peeres aboue his gowne;

1611, Ben[jamin] Jonson, Catiline His Conspiracy, London: […] [William Stansby?] for Walter Burre, Act III

Blessed are those organisers who provide one-and-all with a name tag, for then the participants will chat together. A quick peer at your neighbour's lapel is much the simplest way to become introduced […]

1970, William Crookes, T. A. Malone, George Shadbolt, The British journal of photography, volume 117, page 58

In song he never had his peer.

1700, [John] Dryden, “The Cock and the Fox: Or, The Tale of the Nun’s Priest, from Chaucer”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]

Shall they draw off to their privileged quarters, and consort only with their peers?

1832, [Isaac Taylor], Saturday Evening. […], London: Holdsworth and Ball

a noble peer of mickle trust and power

1646 (indicated as 1645), John Milton, “Comus”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […]

He all his Peeres in beautie did surpas,

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto V”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, stanza 37

Being now Peered with the Lord Chancellor, and the Earl of Essex.

1670, Peter Heylyn, Aerius Redivivus

As was the caveat about peeing in a pool. Of course, peeing in a pool wasn't dangerous to the person ... If you peed in a pool, and you were carrying the polio virus, presumably *other* people were put at risk, not the peer (pee-er?).

1999 August 22, “Re: Swimming after eating”, in alt.folklore.urban‎ (Usenet)

SOunds[sic] like you've already broken him quite well, if he's peeing when disciplined. Pretty sad. He's not a dog, not that treating a dog like this is any better either. You've turned your child into a submissive peer.

2000 August 29, “Re: 32 month old urinating in his room! HELP!”, in alt.parenting.solutions‎ (Usenet)

Submissive peeing, on the other hand, IS related to anxiety. But submissive peeing is not marking. A submissive peer is generally a very submissive dog.

2003 October 11, “Re: do female's "mark" their territory?”, in rec.pets.dogs.behavior‎ (Usenet)