The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Peter \Pe"ter\ (p[=e]"t[~e]r), prop. n.
   A common baptismal name for a man. The name of one of the
   twelve apostles of Christ.
   [1913 Webster]

   Peter boat, a fishing boat, sharp at both ends, originally
      of the Baltic Sea, but now common in certain English
      rivers.

   Peter Funk, the auctioneer in a mock auction. [Cant, U.S.]


   Peter pence, or Peter's pence.
   (a) An annual tax or tribute, formerly paid by the English
       people to the pope, being a penny for every house,
       payable on Lammas or St. Peter's day; -- called also
       Rome scot, and hearth money.
   (b) In modern times, a voluntary contribution made by Roman
       Catholics to the private purse of the pope.

   Peter's fish (Zool.), a haddock; -- so called because the
      black spots, one on each side, behind the gills, are
      traditionally said to have been caused by the fingers of
      St. Peter, when he caught the fish to pay the tribute. The
      name is applied, also, to other fishes having similar
      spots.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Peter \Pet"er\ (p[=e]"t[~e]r), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Petered
   (p[=e]"t[~e]rd); p. pr. & vb. n. Petering.] [Etymol.
   uncertain.]
   To become depleted; to run out; to fail; -- used generally
   with out; as, that mine has petered out. [Slang, U.S.]
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

Peter
    n 1: disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by
         Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope
         [syn: Peter, Simon Peter, Saint Peter, St. Peter,
         Saint Peter the Apostle, St. Peter the Apostle]
    2: obscene terms for penis [syn: cock, prick, dick,
       shaft, pecker, peter, tool, putz]

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary:

Peter
   originally called Simon (=Simeon ,i.e., "hearing"), a very
   common Jewish name in the New Testament. He was the son of Jona
   (Matt. 16:17). His mother is nowhere named in Scripture. He had
   a younger brother called Andrew, who first brought him to Jesus
   (John 1:40-42). His native town was Bethsaida, on the western
   coast of the Sea of Galilee, to which also Philip belonged. Here
   he was brought up by the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and was
   trained to the occupation of a fisher. His father had probably
   died while he was still young, and he and his brother were
   brought up under the care of Zebedee and his wife Salome (Matt.
   27:56; Mark 15:40; 16:1). There the four youths, Simon, Andrew,
   James, and John, spent their boyhood and early manhood in
   constant fellowship. Simon and his brother doubtless enjoyed all
   the advantages of a religious training, and were early
   instructed in an acquaintance with the Scriptures and with the
   great prophecies regarding the coming of the Messiah. They did
   not probably enjoy, however, any special training in the study
   of the law under any of the rabbis. When Peter appeared before
   the Sanhedrin, he looked like an "unlearned man" (Acts 4:13).

     "Simon was a Galilean, and he was that out and out...The
   Galileans had a marked character of their own. They had a
   reputation for an independence and energy which often ran out
   into turbulence. They were at the same time of a franker and
   more transparent disposition than their brethren in the south.
   In all these respects, in bluntness, impetuosity, headiness, and
   simplicity, Simon was a genuine Galilean. They spoke a peculiar
   dialect. They had a difficulty with the guttural sounds and some
   others, and their pronunciation was reckoned harsh in Judea. The
   Galilean accent stuck to Simon all through his career. It
   betrayed him as a follower of Christ when he stood within the
   judgment-hall (Mark 14:70). It betrayed his own nationality and
   that of those conjoined with him on the day of Pentecost (Acts
   2:7)." It would seem that Simon was married before he became an
   apostle. His wife's mother is referred to (Matt. 8:14; Mark
   1:30; Luke 4:38). He was in all probability accompanied by his
   wife on his missionary journeys (1 Cor. 9:5; comp. 1 Pet. 5:13).

     He appears to have been settled at Capernaum when Christ
   entered on his public ministry, and may have reached beyond the
   age of thirty. His house was large enough to give a home to his
   brother Andrew, his wife's mother, and also to Christ, who seems
   to have lived with him (Mark 1:29, 36; 2:1), as well as to his
   own family. It was apparently two stories high (2:4).

     At Bethabara (R.V., John 1:28, "Bethany"), beyond Jordan, John
   the Baptist had borne testimony concerning Jesus as the "Lamb of
   God" (John 1:29-36). Andrew and John hearing it, followed Jesus,
   and abode with him where he was. They were convinced, by his
   gracious words and by the authority with which he spoke, that he
   was the Messiah (Luke 4:22; Matt. 7:29); and Andrew went forth
   and found Simon and brought him to Jesus (John 1:41).

     Jesus at once recognized Simon, and declared that hereafter he
   would be called Cephas, an Aramaic name corresponding to the
   Greek Petros, which means "a mass of rock detached from the
   living rock." The Aramaic name does not occur again, but the
   name Peter gradually displaces the old name Simon, though our
   Lord himself always uses the name Simon when addressing him
   (Matt. 17:25; Mark 14:37; Luke 22:31, comp. 21:15-17). We are
   not told what impression the first interview with Jesus produced
   on the mind of Simon. When we next meet him it is by the Sea of
   Galilee (Matt. 4:18-22). There the four (Simon and Andrew, James
   and John) had had an unsuccessful night's fishing. Jesus
   appeared suddenly, and entering into Simon's boat, bade him
   launch forth and let down the nets. He did so, and enclosed a
   great multitude of fishes. This was plainly a miracle wrought
   before Simon's eyes. The awe-stricken disciple cast himself at
   the feet of Jesus, crying, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful
   man, O Lord" (Luke 5:8). Jesus addressed him with the assuring
   words, "Fear not," and announced to him his life's work. Simon
   responded at once to the call to become a disciple, and after
   this we find him in constant attendance on our Lord.

     He is next called into the rank of the apostleship, and
   becomes a "fisher of men" (Matt. 4:19) in the stormy seas of the
   world of human life (Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:13-16),
   and takes a more and more prominent part in all the leading
   events of our Lord's life. It is he who utters that notable
   profession of faith at Capernaum (John 6:66-69), and again at
   Caesarea Philippi (Matt. 16:13-20; Mark 8:27-30; Luke 9:18-20).
   This profession at Caesarea was one of supreme importance, and
   our Lord in response used these memorable words: "Thou art
   Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church."

     "From that time forth" Jesus began to speak of his sufferings.
   For this Peter rebuked him. But our Lord in return rebuked
   Peter, speaking to him in sterner words than he ever used to any
   other of his disciples (Matt. 16:21-23; Mark 8:31-33). At the
   close of his brief sojourn at Caesarea our Lord took Peter and
   James and John with him into "an high mountain apart," and was
   transfigured before them. Peter on that occasion, under the
   impression the scene produced on his mind, exclaimed, "Lord, it
   is good for us to be here: let us make three tabernacles" (Matt.
   17:1-9).

     On his return to Capernaum the collectors of the temple tax (a
   didrachma, half a sacred shekel), which every Israelite of
   twenty years old and upwards had to pay (Ex. 30:15), came to
   Peter and reminded him that Jesus had not paid it (Matt.
   17:24-27). Our Lord instructed Peter to go and catch a fish in
   the lake and take from its mouth the exact amount needed for the
   tax, viz., a stater, or two half-shekels. "That take," said our
   Lord, "and give unto them for me and thee."

     As the end was drawing nigh, our Lord sent Peter and John
   (Luke 22:7-13) into the city to prepare a place where he should
   keep the feast with his disciples. There he was forewarned of
   the fearful sin into which he afterwards fell (22:31-34). He
   accompanied our Lord from the guest-chamber to the garden of
   Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-46), which he and the other two who had
   been witnesses of the transfiguration were permitted to enter
   with our Lord, while the rest were left without. Here he passed
   through a strange experience. Under a sudden impulse he cut off
   the ear of Malchus (47-51), one of the band that had come forth
   to take Jesus. Then follow the scenes of the judgment-hall
   (54-61) and his bitter grief (62).

     He is found in John's company early on the morning of the
   resurrection. He boldly entered into the empty grave (John
   20:1-10), and saw the "linen clothes laid by themselves" (Luke
   24:9-12). To him, the first of the apostles, our risen Lord
   revealed himself, thus conferring on him a signal honour, and
   showing how fully he was restored to his favour (Luke 24:34; 1
   Cor. 15:5). We next read of our Lord's singular interview with
   Peter on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where he thrice asked
   him, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" (John 21:1-19). (See LOVE.)

     After this scene at the lake we hear nothing of Peter till he
   again appears with the others at the ascension (Acts 1:15-26).
   It was he who proposed that the vacancy caused by the apostasy
   of Judas should be filled up. He is prominent on the day of
   Pentecost (2:14-40). The events of that day "completed the
   change in Peter himself which the painful discipline of his fall
   and all the lengthened process of previous training had been
   slowly making. He is now no more the unreliable, changeful,
   self-confident man, ever swaying between rash courage and weak
   timidity, but the stead-fast, trusted guide and director of the
   fellowship of believers, the intrepid preacher of Christ in
   Jerusalem and abroad. And now that he is become Cephas indeed,
   we hear almost nothing of the name Simon (only in Acts 10:5, 32;
   15:14), and he is known to us finally as Peter."

     After the miracle at the temple gate (Acts 3) persecution
   arose against the Christians, and Peter was cast into prison. He
   boldly defended himself and his companions at the bar of the
   council (4:19, 20). A fresh outburst of violence against the
   Christians (5:17-21) led to the whole body of the apostles being
   cast into prison; but during the night they were wonderfully
   delivered, and were found in the morning teaching in the temple.
   A second time Peter defended them before the council (Acts
   5:29-32), who, "when they had called the apostles and beaten
   them, let them go."

     The time had come for Peter to leave Jerusalem. After
   labouring for some time in Samaria, he returned to Jerusalem,
   and reported to the church there the results of his work (Acts
   8:14-25). Here he remained for a period, during which he met
   Paul for the first time since his conversion (9:26-30; Gal.
   1:18). Leaving Jerusalem again, he went forth on a missionary
   journey to Lydda and Joppa (Acts 9:32-43). He is next called on
   to open the door of the Christian church to the Gentiles by the
   admission of Cornelius of Caesarea (ch. 10).

     After remaining for some time at Caesarea, he returned to
   Jerusalem (Acts 11:1-18), where he defended his conduct with
   reference to the Gentiles. Next we hear of his being cast into
   prison by Herod Agrippa (12:1-19); but in the night an angel of
   the Lord opened the prison gates, and he went forth and found
   refuge in the house of Mary.

     He took part in the deliberations of the council in Jerusalem
   (Acts 15:1-31; Gal. 2:1-10) regarding the relation of the
   Gentiles to the church. This subject had awakened new interest
   at Antioch, and for its settlement was referred to the council
   of the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. Here Paul and Peter met
   again.

     We have no further mention of Peter in the Acts of the
   Apostles. He seems to have gone down to Antioch after the
   council at Jerusalem, and there to have been guilty of
   dissembling, for which he was severely reprimanded by Paul (Gal.
   2:11-16), who "rebuked him to his face."

     After this he appears to have carried the gospel to the east,
   and to have laboured for a while at Babylon, on the Euphrates (1
   Pet. 5:13). There is no satisfactory evidence that he was ever
   at Rome. Where or when he died is not certainly known. Probably
   he died between A.D. 64 and 67.


Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (late 1800's):

Peter, a rock or stone


U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):

Peter, UT -- U.S. Census Designated Place in Utah
   Population (2000):    230
   Housing Units (2000): 71
   Land area (2000):     21.553322 sq. miles (55.822846 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.861275 sq. miles (2.230691 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    22.414597 sq. miles (58.053537 sq. km)
   FIPS code:            59555
   Located within:       Utah (UT), FIPS 49
   Location:             41.760838 N, 111.984191 W
   ZIP Codes (1990):
   Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
   Headwords:
    Peter, UT
    Peter