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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

UNSNECK, v. Also unsnek, unsnick. To unlatch or unfasten a door (Sc. 1808 Jam., Uls. 1953 Traynor; n., m., s.Sc. 1973). Also in n.Eng. dial. Also fig. See Sneck, v.¹Sc. 1806 R. Jamieson Ballads II. 339:
She drew the bar, unsneck'd the door.Fif. 1845 T. C. Latto Minister's Kail-yard 9:
Then kindly on his manse he lookit, Unsneck'd the door, an' thro' it joukit.Abd. 1867 W. Anderson Rhymes 106:
He unsnecks the door.Cai. 1902 J. Horne Canny Countryside 95:
For a day she fasted and thought, nor did she unsneck the door.em.Sc. 2000 James Robertson The Fanatic 106:
He unsnecked the door and Mitchel was hit by the icy night. They looked around but the courtyard was silent and empty. 'She'll chap when she wants back in,' the Major said.Fif. 1959 T. G. Snoddy A Sang at Least 39:
The nippin frost unsnecks your fetter.

Ppl.adj. unsneckit, unsneckt, unsnickit, unlatched, not fastened by a latch (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 203; Cld., Lth. 1880 Jam.).e.Lth. 1796 R. Gall Poems (1819) 28:
For some ane's been sae unco glaikit As gang an' leave the door unsneckit.Per. 1878 R. Ford Hamespun Lays 49:
Fu' dark's the nicht, an' wild the wind, Gars doors unsneckit clank an rattle.Lnk. 1919 G. Rae Clyde and Tweed 88:
Yer faither, puir man, keeps the door aye unsneckit.Lnk. 1997 Duncan Glen From Upland Man 6:
And there the unsneckt kitchen door. Fif. 1998 Tom Hubbard Isolde's Luve-Daith 6:
I wis left my lane, ontil
Ae nicht, a tread on the stair,
An the door unsneckt: