Also 6 snayle, 6–7 snaill, 7 snaile. [f. SNAIL sb.1]
† 1. intr. Of soldiers: To form into a ‘snail’ or ‘snails.’ Obs.–1
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 235 b. All the gonnes seuered themselues into one place,… and likewise the byllmen, and there tynged and snayled, which was a goodly sight to beholde.
2. To move, walk, or travel lazily or sluggishly; to go very slowly. Also with on.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, IV. (Arb.), 118. Shee trots on snayling, lyk a tooth shaken old hagge.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), IV. 124. Draw in your horns, and resolve to snail-on … in a track we are acquainted with.
1813. Sir R. Wilson, Priv. Diary (1861), II. 238. The Crown Prince is snailing towards the Elbe.
1903. A. Adams, Log Cowboy, xviii. 275. The herd was snailing along the North Platte. Ibid., xxiii. 365. We snailed on westward at our leisurely gait.
b. With it.
1628. Feltham, Resolves, I. xciv. You shall finde, that every thing, as farre as the Abilitie will give it Line, does Snaile it after Deitie. Ibid., II. xliv. When the grave Vespasian came to snail it, and be leaver’d in the throngs slow march.
1893. W. C. A. Blew, Brighton, 48. From Clayton Hill the coach snailed it on towards Cuckfield.
3. trans. To make or construct after the spiral form of a snail-shell. Now spec. in clockmaking.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. vi. 637. God plac’t the Ears … As in two turrets, on the building’s top, Snailling their hollow entries so a-sloap [etc.].
1885. D. Glasgow, Watch & Clock Making, vi. 73. The arbor should be snailed, so that when the spring is wound on to it, it will take a spiral form.
b. To finish off with curved eccentric lines.
1884. F. J. Britten, Watch & Clockm., 242. Fusee caps, steel keyless watches, &c., are snailed with a copper mill.
4. To clear of, keep free from, slugs or snails.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Glouc., I. (1662), 349. Many got great [tobacco] estates thereby, notwithstanding the great … cost in … watering, snailing, suckering,… and rowling it.
Hence Snailing vbl. sb. (see 3 b).
1882. Tripplin & Rigg, Saunier’s Watchmakers’ Hand-bk., 119. A beautiful snailing can be obtained with Arkansas stone mud.
1884. F. J. Britten, Watch & Clockm., 242. Snailing requires a sharp polishing material.
attrib. 1884. F. J. Britten, Watch & Clockm., 242. The snailing mill is fixed in nearly the right position.
1885. D. Glasgow, Watch & Clock Making, ix. 119. The snailing roller [is] held in the fingers and prevented from turning.
