sneesh Sc. and north. dial.
(sniːʃ)
Also 9 sneish; 8–9 snish.
[? Back-formation from next: but cf. snush n., of which the Gloucester dial. snish is probably a variant. Ir. Gael. has snaois.]
a. Snuff. b. A pinch of snuff.
The verb sneesh to snuff, and sneesher a snuffer, are also current in mod. Sc. dial. (recorded from 1801–9).
| 1786 Har'st Rig xix, Led on by Malcolm,..Wha taks his snish. 1817 [R. D. C. Brown] Lintoun Green 57 Whan takan' o' a sneesh. 1874 A. Hislop Scot. Anecd. 6 She did not care one pinch o' snish! |
| attrib. 1825 [see sneeze n. 3]. |