snoke, v. Chiefly north. and Sc.
(snəʊk)
Forms: α. 4–5, 9 snoke (5 snokyn), 6 Sc. snokk-, 9 snoak. β. 6 snooke, 7– snook (8 dial. snooac). γ. 7– snouk, 8– snowk.
[prob. of Scand. origin: cf. Norw. dial. snōka to snuff, smell.]
intr. and trans. To snuff or smell; to go snuffing or smelling (at); to poke about with the nose. Also fig., to sneak about, to keep watch over, etc.
| α c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 83 Disciplis of Crist wenten into þe citee to bie hem mete; for þei snokiden not fro hous to hous and beggiden mete, as freris doon. c 1475 Promp. Parv. 462/1 (MS. K.), Snokyn, or smellyn, nicto. 1500 Ortus Vocab. BB vij, Nicto,..to snoke as a honde dos. 1513 Douglas æneid v. ii. 99 The drink, and eik the offerandis gret and small, [the snake] Snokkis [v.r. snokis] and likkit. 1831 J. Wilson Noct. Ambr. Wks. 1855 III. 98 After smellin an' snokin an' snortin at it for a while. 1834 M. Scott Cruise Midge xxi, He lay still, with the beast..poking down its head, and snorting and snoking at him. |
| β 1570 Levins Manip. 159/35 To Snooke, olfacere. 1608 Hieron Defence ii. 8 Whether he snooketh not as right into Rheames and Rome as maie be [etc.]. 1641 Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 74 The hogges went snuffinge and snookinge from heape to heape. a 1652 Brome New Acad. ii. i, I must not lose my harmlesse recreations Abroad, to snook over my wife at home. 1687 Miége Gt. Fr. Dict. ii, To Snook, or ly lurking for a thing. 1722 Wodrow Hist. Suff. Ch. Scot. iii. viii. II. 449 The Dogs would snook and smell about the Stones under which they were hid, and yet they remained undiscovered. 1788 W. H. Marshall Yorksh. II. 354 To Snooac, to smell in a snuffing manner. 1834 [Seba Smith] Lett. J. Downing (1835) 106 All we've got to do is to open that, and snook among old papers. 1891 R. Ford Thistledown ix. 163 That we do not gang..snookin' amang the snaw like mowdiewarts. |
| γ 1624 Sanderson Serm. I. 241 Like swine under the oaks, we grouze up the acorns, and snouk about for more. 1786 Burns Twa Dogs 39 Wi' social nose [the dogs] whyles snuff'd an' snowket. 1861 Quin Heather Lintie (1863) 76, I snouk aboot For 'tatty peels and banes o' herrin'. 1894 Crockett Raiders xlv. 384 Gin ony o' Agnew's men were gaun snowkin' roond, it micht cause misunderstandings. |
Hence
ˈsnoking vbl. n.| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 462/1 Snokynge, olfactus. |