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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.

SNITE, v., n. Also snyte, sneyt, snight; sneet, sniet, snit; snoit. [snəit; I.Sc., ne.Sc. snit; snɔit]

I. v. 1. tr. To blow (one's nose), esp. with the finger and thumb, to wipe (mucus from the nose) (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl., Sh. 1921; Ork. 1929 Marw.; I. and ne.Sc. 1971). Also in Eng. dial. Comb. and deriv.: sneet-cloot, a handkerchief; snoity, foul with mucus (Sc. 1880 Jam.).Sc. 1736 Ramsay Proverbs (1776) 33:
He snites his nose in his neighbour's dish to get the brose tae himsell.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 154:
[She] snites the snotter frae their nose.Edb. 1783 N.B. Weekly Mag. (12 June) 20:
Snuff frae my nizz I canna snyte it.Sh. 1836 Gentleman's Mag. II. 591:
I taks oot hiz nain mill an sneyts ma noze.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 26:
Sae, efter snifterin' a while for nae geud, he hed tae sneet his nose.Sh. 1928 Shetland News (14 July) 3:
I hae a sneet cloot i' me pokit.Sh. 1959 New Shetlander No. 51. 29:
He poos oot his sneet cloot an swabbit his broo.

2. To pull or tweak (another's nose) (Mry. 1921 T.S.D.C., sneet); fig., to take down (someone's) pride, to taunt, jibe, snub (Ib.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Ayr., Kcb., Dmf. 1971).Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poetry II. 61:
Tibb snyted Madge's muckle nizz, Till out the purple sprang.Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 59:
Here comes Norval, proud as ane cou'd wis; An' this is just the time to snite his nise.Rnf. 1837 Crawfurd MSS. XI. 327:
Nane o your snyting, John. Had it no been my braw tocher ye wadna snyte sae muckle.Abd. 1918 C. Murray Sough o' War 22:
Gin the tane taks a tit at the tither chiel's niz Need we hae a han' at the snytin' o't?

3. To strike off (the burned tip of a candle), to snuff (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); Bnff. 1970). Cf. Eng. dial. sniters, candle-snuffers.Bnff. 1880 J. F. S. Gordon Chrons. Keith 65:
He could not “snite” the Candles and attend to his Psalm Book at the same time.Bnff. 1883 Trans. Bnff. Field Club 113:
A thin vertical plate of iron, on which the fir candles could be ‘snited'.

4. In gen.: to strike, hit, deliver a blow at (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1971). Ppl.adj. snoited, ? dazed, stupefied.Wgt. 1832 A. M'Dowall Will Wander 80:
Ye mak' us drunken, dowie, doited, An' vera aften Capernoited, 'Gainst wa, or stob, ye send us snoited, Withouten dread. And, in return, we get weel noited About the head.

II. n. 1. A blowing or wiping of the nose (Sh., ne.Sc. 1971). Also transf.Ayr. 1828 D. Wood Poems 25:
An' tak's the pen, gies her a snite. And this he says —.Abd. 1852 A. Robb Poems 121:
An' gae his nise a snyte.

2. A sharp blow, esp. on the nose (Slk. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).wm.Sc. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 206:
But just as Habby wi' delight And eagerness had tooth'd his pipe Bell wi' the tangs, took it a snite Whilk it beheaded.Edb. 1916 T. W. Paterson Wyse-Sayin's xxx. 33:
A snyte on the nose draws the blude.Bnff. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 8:
I'se gie ye a snyte ower the nose.

¶3. Transf., in nonce usage, the nose. Phs. due to confusion with snowt.Bwk. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 172:
This day's so cauld, that it has maist ta'en the skin aff my snite.

4. A sharp reproof or retort, a jibe (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Gall. a.1900 “Mulciber Veritatis” Gallowa' Herds 4:
'Neath her petticoat rule ye'll, like hen-paikit snool, Thole snytes, and tongue scutchins untrystit.

5. A small insignificant creature or thing, a worthless person, esp. as a term of contempt and abuse (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 430, snoit; Abd., Ags. 1921 T.S.D.C.; Sh., Bnff., Abd. 1971).Kcb. 1900:
Ye nasty little snyte! wait till I get haud o' ye.Abd. 1920 A. Robb MS. iii.:
Ye stupid snite, comin' awa tae muck a henhoose wi' naeder gear nor guid tae muck it wi'.Bnff. 1937 E. S. Rae Light in the Window 14:
She's a sleekit, snichlin', inhaudin' snite.