Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SNEIST, v., n. Also sneest, sniest, snist, snuist; sneyst. Pa.t. sniest. Derivs. sneester, sniester, sneyster, snuister, snister, snooster. [snist, snɪst, snəist]
I. v. 1. intr. To behave in a contemptuous arrogant manner, to be scornful or supercilious, show disdain. Also used tr. with at, towards. Hence sneyster, snooster, a harsh disagreable answer, an expression of contempt or indignation (Slk. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 206; Ayr. 1928).Sc. 1724 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) I. 95:
Ne'er let her slights thy courage spill, Nor gie a sob, although she sneest.Peb. 1793 R. D. C. Brown Peggy's Myll (1832) xxvii.:
Quhan ilka quene, frae spyt, that day Sniest to hir wi' a stutter.Edb. 1822 R. Wilson Poems 102:
Change-house chields sae sneist and snarl, When drink's the better.
2. In deriv. form: to laugh in a suppressed manner, to snigger (Fif. 1825 Jam.; Per. 1904 E.D.D.; Sh. 1971, sneester), to sneer.Sh. 1897 Shetland News (11 Sept.):
Dy letters, joy, were only spent, An' sniestered at.Sh. 1967 New Shetlander No. 83. 26:
Shö wis wun tae a kittly bit an I wis kinda sneesterin an spricklin a grain.
3. To sniff, to snuffle (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1971, sneester). Deriv. snister, sneyster, a severe blast of cold wind in the face (Ags. 1808 Jam., Fif. 1825 Jam., sneyster). Cf. nizzer s.v. Niz, n., 1.Sc. 1819 J. Rennie St Patrick II. xiii.:
Hnuislin' an' snuistin' wi' the nose o' ye i' the yird.
II. n. 1. A taunt, a jibe, an air of disdain, impertinence (Lth. 1808 Jam.; Slk. 1825 Jam.; ‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Hence deriv. sn(e)isty, sneesty, saucy in language or manner, sneering, uncivil, tart (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Lth. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1971). Also adv.Slk. 1806 J. Hogg Poems 48:
Their sneists an' sneers an' fy-for-shames.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxix.:
“I'm to do nae sic thing as gang to Cupar,” quoth Tibbie, as snisty as ye like.Sc. 1896 Stevenson W. of Hermiston v.:
The grieve's wife had been “sneisty.”Edb. 1915 T. W. Paterson Auld Saws 115:
In castin joke, or sneist, or lauch.em.Sc. 1924 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 105:
With compressed lips and in her “snistiest” tones.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick vii.:
'E chiel glowert 'im up an' doon 'at snisty like.
2. A suppressed laugh, a snigger (Fif. 1825 Jam., snuister).
[Immediate orig. obscure but poss. ultimately connected with or influenced in form by sneeze, Snite, Snash. Cf. also Yks. dial. snaisty, cross, peevish, and Neester, to snigger.]
