ˈsneeshing Sc. (Ir.) and north. dial.
Forms: α. 8 snishon, -en, 9 -an (8 snichen, snitian), 8–9 snishin(g. β. 7, 9 sneeshon, 9 -an, 8–9 sneeshin(g, sneeshin', 9 sneechin(g, etc.
[Alteration of sneezing vbl. n. 2 b, perhaps after Highland or Irish pronunciation: cf. Sc. Gael. snaoisean, Ir. snaois{iacu}n.]
1. Snuff.
| α 1714 R. Smith Poems (1853) 12 Thy vile snichen, and thy brose. 1720 Pennecuik Helicon 65 A Mill with Snitian, to pepper her Nose. 1724 Ramsay Tea-t. Misc. (1733) I. 91 A Mill of good snishing to prie. 1761 in Hull Select Lett. (1778) I. 314, I have sent you a little Provision of the best Preston-Pans Snuff,..with one Bottle of Highland Snishon. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. xii, Bid her fill my mill wi' snishing. 1847 Le Fanu T. O'Brien 213 Take a pinch iv the snishin. |
| β 1808 Jamieson, Sneeshin,..the vulgar name for snuff. 1816 Scott Antiq. xxi, A' the siller I need is just to buy tobacco and sneeshin. 1824 ― Redgauntlet ch. vii, Will ye try my sneeshing? 1900 Crockett Little Anna Mark xxi, The noblest sneeshan in the worl'. |
2. A pinch of snuff. Chiefly with negatives, used to denote something of very slight value or significance.
| 1686 G. Stuart Joco-ser. Disc. 13, I drew my Box, and teuk a sneeshon. 1723 W. Meston Knt. of Kirk Poems (1767) 25 Else they are not worth a snishen. 1787– in Scottish use (Eng. Dial. Dict.). |
3. attrib., as
sneeshing-box,
sneeshing-horn,
sneeshing-mill or
sneeshing-mull.
| 1717 Ramsay Elegy Lucky Wood x, To the sma' hours we aft sat still, Nick'd round our toasts and snishing-mill. 1780 W. Forbes Dominie i. 79 His fishing-wand, his sneeshing⁓box. 1786 Burns Twa Dogs 133 The luntan pipe, an' sneeshin mill, Are handed round wi' right guid will. 1816 Scott Antiq. xxiii, I could take my aith to that sneeshing⁓mull amang a thousand. 1825 Jamieson Suppl., Sneeshin-Horn, a horn used for holding snuff. 1858 Porteous Souter Johnny 28 I'm Souter Johnny's sneeshin'-Box. |