Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SNIPPACK, n. Also -i(c)k, -ock, snip(p)ek, erron. snippook (Sh. 1932 J. M. E. Saxby Trad. Lore 200), snippo. [′snɪpək, ′snɪpo]

1. The snipe, Capella gallinago (Sh. 1837 R. Dunn Ornithol. Guide 86, Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Ork. 1929 Marw., snippo; Sh. 1971). Combs.: ebb-snippek, the dunlin, see Ebb; muckle snippek, the wood-cock, Scolopax rusticola (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)); myre-snippo, the snipe (Ork. 1929 Marw.). Cf. Mire-snipe, s.v. Mire, n.¹Sh. 1867 Zoologist II. 538:
The “snippack's” supposed power of making its voice heard close at hand one moment and a hundred yards off the next.Sh. 1933 J. Nicolson Hentilagets 12:
He'll set aff ta see if da snippiks ir layin.Sh. 1949 New Shetlander (Mar.–Apr.) 10:
“Da voar bird” is a name sometimes applied to the Snipe, for which the Shetland name of “Snippik” sounds even more appropriate.

2. Transf.: a flighty or giddy girl (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)); a sharp-tongued woman (Sh. 1970), by association with Snip, v., 2. Cf. Norw. dial. snipa, small woman.