cheepern.
/ˈtʃiːpə/, U.S. /ˈtʃipər/ 1. A bird or other animal which cheeps; esp. a young partridge or grouse (cf. squeaker n. 2a).
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the world > animals > birds > order Galliformes (fowls) > family Tetraonidae (grouse) > [noun] > member of (grouse) > young
moor-pout1506
cheeper1864
the world > animals > birds > order Galliformes (fowls) > family Phasianidae (pheasants, etc.) > [noun] > member of genus Perdix (partridge) > young
stub-tail1686
flapper1747
yelper1802
cheeper1864
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Pioleur, a puler, cheeper, chirper.
1825 Times 20 Aug. 3/5 Those ‘gentlemen from London’ who depended on their dogs snapping a few brace of ‘cheepers’, will be very much disappointed in their expectations.
1853 G. H. Kingsley in Fraser's Mag. Sept. 277/2 We shall have nothing rising before us but barren pairs and pluffy cheepers [sc. young partridges].
1864 H. W. Wheelwright Spring & Summer in Lapland 340 When the young willow-grouse were just cheepers.
1878 Daily News 12 Sept. 3/1 The general hatch of cheepers, as chick partridges are called, takes place from the 18th to 24th of June.
1955 Boys' Life June 78/2 A sign over a display of baby chicks: ‘Cheepers by the dozen’.
2008 J. Kauffman Trespassing i. 5 There are three different frogs—the cheepers, the beepers, and the creepers.
2. Scottish and English regional (northern). The meadow pipit, Anthus pratensis, which has a plaintive call. Usually with distinguishing word. Now rare.Earliest in moss-cheeper n. at moss n.1 Compounds 2a.
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the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > non-arboreal (larks, etc.) > [noun] > family Motacillidae > genus Anthus > anthus pratensis (titlark)
titlingc1550
linget1552
lark1602
chit1610
meadowlark1611
cucknel1655
titlark1666
cheeper1684
moss-cheeper1684
old-field lark1805
ling-bird1814
tit-pipit1817
meadow pipit1825
meadow titling1828
furze-lark1854
peep1859
1684 R. Sibbald Scotl. Illustr. ii. iii. 22 Titlinga, Titling, or Moss-cheeper.
1774 Weekly Mag. 24 Feb. 269 A gentleman in this neighbourhood found in one of his fields, the nest of a small bird commonly called a Moss-cheeper.
1854 H. G. Adams Nests & Eggs Familiar Brit. Birds 57 Meadow Pipit... Moss Cheeper. Grey Cheeper. Ling Bird.
1886 C. Swainson Provinc. Names Brit. Birds 45 Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)... Cheeper... Moss cheeper (Scotland).
1990 D. A. Ratcliffe Bird Life Mountain & Moorland (2010) ii. 70 Like the bird's appearance, the song is unspectacular, and the Scottish name Moss Cheeper quite apt.
3. Scottish colloquial. A kiss, esp. a light one; a peck.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > kiss > [noun] > snappy kiss
peck1849
cheeper1871
1871 J. Smith Jenny Blair's Maunderings (ed. 2) 69 Although I'm an auld wife, I'll no deny I can tak' a bit cheeper as weel as ony body; but it looks sae daft like, ye ken, when ither folk sees ye.
a1878 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage to Land of Burns & Poems (1892) 318 Sound than sweet music deeper,..A smourock or cheeper.
1890 A. M. Bisset Spring Blossoms 23 Like you I ne'er could see't amiss Tae steal a cheeper.
1973 People's Jrnl. 28 July (Inverness & Northern Counties ed.) 4/4 Isa's eyes shimmered with tears while she and John radiantly accepted everybody's congratulations—and hugs and wee cheepers!
1997 Herald (Glasgow) 28 Apr. 2 While the English fans were fighting the Swedish polis, the Scots were kissing them. The women polis that is. One of the enduring images is of a Scot delivering a cheeper unto a delicious, comely..Gothenburg lady constable.
2003 Daily Record (Glasgow) 8 Mar. 19 Right son, now give yer Auntie Senga a wee cheeper before yer aff tae the trainin'.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1611