Forms: 5 snese, 6–8 sneese (6 scniese), 6– sneeze, 7 sneez. [app. an alteration of FNESE v., due to misreading or misprinting it as ſnese, after the initial combination fn- had become unfamiliar.
Fnese had app. gone out of use early in the 15th cent., its place being mainly supplied by nese NEEZE v. The adoption of sneeze was probably assisted by its phonetic appropriateness; it may have been felt as a strengthened form of neeze.
In the following places where sn- is printed in modern editions the correct reading is fn-:—Trevisa Higden (Rolls), V. 389; Chaucer Manciple’s Prol. 62 (Camb. MS. G g 4. 27); Lanfranc’s Cirurg. 197; Caxton’s Trevisa (Rolls), V. 389 footnote; Caxton Golden Leg., Litanies (= fol. xxii/1 of ed. 1483). See also the variants in the quots. below.]
1. intr. To drive or emit air or breath suddenly through the nose and mouth by an involuntary and convulsive or spasmodic action, accompanied by a characteristic sound.
In quot. 1493 = to snort.
1493. Festivall (W. de W.), 108 b. Whan he herde ony man speke of theym anone for grete angre he wolde snese [1483 Caxton fnese] at the nose.
1495. Trevsa’s Barth. De P. R., XVII. xxxviii. 625. Yf it [sc. cummin] is … blowen in to the nosethrilles,… it makith a man snese [Bodl. MS. fnese].
1540. R. Jonas, Byrth Mankynde, 30 b. Let her be proucked to sneese with the pouder of eleborus or pepper.
1570. Levins, Manip., 211. To Sneeze, sternutare.
1582. N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., I. xvii. 44 b. To spit or to scniese.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXVIII. ii. II. 297. If one chaunce to sneese after repast.
1673. Ray, Journ. Low C., 403. One custom which prevails generally in foreign countreys … is to salute those that sneez.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 35, ¶ 3. Being unused to Snuff, some Grains from off her upper Lip made hinn sneeze aloud.
1753. Scots Mag., Nov., 544/2. They bowed with a graceful simper to a lady who sneezed.
1849. Lytton, Caxtons, 61. You certainly have caught cold; you sneezed three times together.
1872. Geo. Eliot, Middlem., lxii. There are conditions under which the most majestic person is obliged to sneeze.
b. refl. To bring (oneself) into a certain state by sneezing.
1667. R. L’Estrange, Vis. Quev., 327–8. By how much it is more honourable, to dye upon a Swords point … than for a man to Snivel, and Sneeze himself into another World.
2. colloq. With at: To regard as of little value, worth or consideration; to despise, disregard, underrate. Chiefly in the negative phrase not to be sneezed at.
(a) 1806. Surr, Winter in Lond., II. 90. It’s a sort of thing a young fellow of my expectations ought to sneeze at.
1838. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Ser. I. B. Maguire’s Acc. Coronation, viii. If any bould traitour … Sneezes at that, I’d like to see the man!
1902. Daily Chron., 12 June, 9/3. Supposing this fire had occurred in Hackney,… it would have been ‘sneezed’ at, if I may so put it.
(b) 1813. Scott, 24 Aug. in Lockhart. As I am situated, £300 or £400 a-year is not to be sneezed at.
1840. Marryat, Poor Jack, l. She was a prize ‘not to be sneezed at.’
1891. N. Gould, Double Event, 82. A thousand pounds … was not a thing to be sneezed at.
3. trans. To eject or cast by sneezing.
1677. Johnson, in Ray’s Corr. (1848), 128. Horsemen are not agreed what that is the foal is said to sneeze, which they call a milt.
4. To utter with a sneeze. Also with out.
The allusion in the first quot. is to Catullus xlv. 9–10.
1851. Tennyson, E. Morris, 80. Shall not Love to me, As in the Latin song I learnt at school, Sneeze out a full God-bless-you, right and left?
1873. Ld. Houghton, Monogr., 260. The preacher … at once sneezed out the name Ker-shaw several times in various intonations.
Hence Sneezing ppl. a.
1642. H. More, Song of Soul, II. I. i. 22. Swift as the levin from the sneezing skie.
