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.
Snapwark, n. Also: snape- and -vark, -wairk, -werk, -work(e. [? f. or f. as Snaphaunce n. or ? f. Snap v. + Wark n. Cf. Snap n.] a. The firing mechanism of a gun, specif. of a snaphance or early flint-lock type in which the hammer is sharply struck to produce the spark. Also attrib. with gun. b. transf. The gun itself.a. a1568 Sempill in Sat. P. xlvii 53.
Ȝe ar lamit fra labour … Ȝour pistolis twmit, and bak sprent … Snapwark, adew, fra dagmen dow nocht stand, And wors than that, ȝe want ȝour morsing powder 1582 Perth B. Ct. 11 Dec.
Ane gwn of snap wairk c1590 J. Stewart 39/320.
His dag misga, the snapvark vas not fyn 1600 Black Bk. Taymouth 336.
Ane hagbute with snap werk 1619 Breadalbane Doc. No. 428.
Muskattis with snapwark 1627 Kellie Pallas Armata 112.
A … demy musquet … being two foot in length and of full musquet bore … but hauing a snapwork 1634 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II 394.
Item ane lang hagbut gowne with snap [pr. suap] vark pryce twentie merkis 1648 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 121.
Ane double hagbut indentit with bain haveing ane rair snap work with scroule 1666-7 Blakhall Narr. 77.
Eight double muskeats, with bal and poudre and matche conforme, and as many light gunnes, with snape workes 1668 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. II 448.
Yow are to allow no fyre armes with snap works, but only musketts with match worksattrib. 1638 Moncreiffs 611 n.
Ane snap vark gun 1644 Edinb. Test. LXI 53b.
Ane snapwark gune pryce thairof iiij lib. Urquhart Rabelais i lv.
The buts and marks for shooting with a snap work gun [F. l'arquebuse] 1666-7 Blakhall Narr. 78.
I had befor that provided my snape work gunnes 16… Culross II 169.
Ane snapwork gouneb. 1644 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 707.
George Airdrie smyth to make payment to James McClellane smyth of the sowme of four pundis iij s. quhilk the said James gave him to buy ane snapwork [pr. suapwork] 1661 Culross I 313.
Armoure, such as musquettis, snap warks, picks [etc.] 1662 Edinb. B. Rec. IX 294.
Everie captane to single out ten or twelff muskiteirs with snapworke of eache company 1662 Dumfries Council Min. MS 11 July.
Fourscore snapworkes and thriescore partizans c1680 W. Row Blair 298.
The Highlanders … giving fire with their long snap-works made them retire a1689 Cleland 12.
[The Highlanders] with durk and snap-work and snuff-mill
