Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SNOT, n., v. Deriv. ¶snotum. See II. 1.

Sc. usages of Eng. snot, now dial. or low. [snot]

I. n. 1. As in Eng., nasal mucus (Uls. 1953 Traynor; Ork., Bnff., Ags., Per., Ayr. 1971). Adj. snotty, ppl.adj. snotted, smeared with mucus.Peb. 1784 R. Brown Pan and Pastora (1832) 93:
Jove guard me! sic a face he's got, It's a' run o'er wi' dirt and snot.Peb. 1793 R. Brown Comic Poems (1817) 128:
He gied his snotted hand, Tae clatty Sloyster-kyte.Lnl. 1868 A. Dawson Rambling Recollections 11:
A knot of bare-legged, snotty striplings.Kcd. 1934 L. G. Gibbon Grey Granite 47:
They were both thick-streaked with blood and snot.

2. The snuff or burnt wick of a candle (Uls. 1953 Traynor; Bnff. 1971). Also in Eng. dial. Hence in 1879 quot., a lump of soot.s.Sc. 1836 Wilson's Tales of the Borders II. 163:
That long black snot that's hangin' at the candle.Abd. 1879 G. MacDonald Sir Gibbie xxii.:
Doon fell a snot o' soot intil the very spune.

3. A term of contempt or abuse, applied to persons (Sc. 1880 Jam.; Ags., Fif., Lth., Lnk., Gall., Rxb. 1971); a stupid person, a dolt, ninny (Rxb. 1825 Jam.). Dim. snottie, id. (Ib., Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).s.Sc. 1809 T. Donaldson Poems 171:
Ye're a dozen'd, stupid snot.Bwk. 1823 A. Hewit Poems 60:
For me I'm but a simple snot.Ags. 1866 Brechin Advertiser (13 Feb.) 2:
[Ye] think he must hae been a “snot ” That planned it oot.Abd. 1891 J. Leatham Ancient Hind 12:
I ken fine 'at a' thae kin' o' snots turn up their noses at the Soshlists.

4. An admonitory rap; a snub (Kcd. 1971). Cf. II. 3.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick vi.:
It wid set ye better tae gie 'im a gweed snot ower 'e fingers.

¶5. In dim. form snottie, the nose.Sc. 1787 W. Taylor Poems 25:
Pox o' your snotties An' i' your coatties.

II. v. 1. intr. To sniff, snivel, snort, snore, snooze. Also in Eng. dial. Deriv. ¶snotum, snuff.Cai. 1829 J. Hay Poems 10:
May Vistnou still a penny send For snotum rare.e.Lth. 1899 J. Lumsden Poems 75:
Your faither's gane three hour an' mair, An' still ye snot, an' snotter there.

2. tr. To trim (a candle), as with snuffers or with finger and thumb (Dmf. 1920). Cf. Eng. dial. to snuff (a candle).

3. To snub, to reprove (Inv., ne.Sc., Lnk., Rxb. 1971). Deriv. snotty, short-tempered, curt, abrupt, huffy. Gen. (exc. I.) Sc. Also in Eng. dial.Abd. 1891 J. Leatham Ancient Hind 19:
Gaein' warslin' aboot a' day, gettin' snottit at ilka han'.Abd. 1898 J. R. Imray Sandy Todd xi.:
Ye needna be sae unco snotty kin'.