A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1499-1649
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Snout, Snowt(e, -tt, n. [ME and e.m.E. snute (c1220), snoute (Manning), snowte (Wyclif), snout (c1400), WFris. snút, snute, MDu. snūte, MLG snût(e, Norw., Sw. snut.]
1. The snout of an animal (or fish). b. The trunk of an elephant. c. transf. Abusively: The nose or ? face of a person.a1500 Henr. Fab. 1084 (Bann.).
Thy [sc. the wolf's] gorry gomys and thy bludy snowt a1500 Henr. III 151/33.
With the snowt of ane selch 15.. Wyf of Auchtirmuchty 61 (K).
To haue taine the sow vpon the snout 1596 Dalr. II 388/17.
Thir monstruous fische quhilkes haue thir snoutis we vse commounlie to call thame gompnesb. 1587 Carmichael Etym. 8.
Proboscis, an elephants snoutc. a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow i 277.
The swyne hirdis in a rowt And Sueirbum with his snowt Wes captane of thame c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 52.
Crawdoun Kennedy … Evill farit … Lyk as the gleddis had on thy gulesnowt dynd a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 550.
Out, out, I schout, apon that snowt that snevillis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1298.
The Divill snyp of thair snowt, That haitis this cumpany a1605 Montg. Flyt. 359 (T).
Schame … on hir snowt that sufferis thé to snowk c1590 J. Stewart 68/116.
Sum haid ane keppand snout 1588 Spyte of Spain 14.
Hee … Is … stout To bring about His own counsell And fight it out Spyte of their snout And all their rout
2. The prow of a ship; also, specif. the (armoured) beak of a warship.1513 Doug. viii xii 2.
The weirly schippis with thar snowtis of steill 1513 Doug. ix iii 100.
Ilk barge … Lyke delphyn fisch … Thar snowtis dowkand 1513 Doug. x iv 10.
Snowt 1558-66 Knox I 120.
Addressed thei for landing, and ordered thei thare schippis so that a galay or two lade thare snowttis to the craiggis 1596 Dalr. II 335/18.
Sum shipis with snoutis cam to Scotland
3. A projecting part of a structure, esp. as a part of defence works.a1578 Pitsc. II 302/11.
The Inglis cannonis war styled … fornens the galay snowt of the castell betuix John Thorntownis hous and Patrick Eggaris hous a1578 Pitsc. II 303/12.
Vtheris passit to the galay snowt of the castell thrie men being in it for keiping thairof and ledderit it at the ȝet 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. I 163.
The … Spey towre, And Monks towre builded round: a wall … Extending ‘twixt the two Thence goeth a snout of great squair stones, which turnes the streames about 1648–9 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 315.
For ane oacken crookit trie … to be ane for snowtt to the bullwark
4. A projecting point of land, a promontory.1531 Bell. Boece xxviii.
Galloway rinnis, with ane gret snout of craggis … in the Ireland seis. This snout is callit … the Mulis Nuk
