vbl. sb. Also 5 snesynge, 6 sneesyng, 6–8 -ing, 7 Sc. sneisin(g, snising, snizing. [f. SNEEZE v.]

1

  1.  The action of the verb; an instance of this.

2

1495.  Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., XVII. cxxxi. 688. Powder therof [sc. of pepper] makyth snesynge [Bodl. MS. fnesinge].

3

1545.  Raynold, Byrth Mankynde, 67. Farthermore she muste be prouoked to sneesyng.

4

1580.  Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Esternuëment, a sneesing.

5

1615.  Crooke, Body of Man, 523. In sternutations or sneezings.

6

1646.  Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., IV. ix. 200. Aristotle hath a Probleme, why sneezing from noone unto midnight was good, but from night to noon unlucky.

7

1707.  Floyer, Physic. Pulse-Watch, 220. Sneesing promotes the Motion of the Blood, and excites the Pulse.

8

1770.  Langhorne, Plutarch (1851), I. 138/1. A Sneezing was heard from the right.

9

1818.  E. Thompson, Cullen’s Nosologia (1820), 203. Contagious inflammatory fever with sneezing.

10

1844.  Dickens, Mart. Chuz., xiv. He was taken with a violent fit of sneezing.

11

1899.  Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 98. Abnormal visceral or reflex movements, such as … sneezings, yawnings, or hiccoughings.

12

  fig.  1691.  Beverley, Thous. Years Kingd. Christ, 31. From Time to Time … there have been Sneesings by a Power of God, as I may so express it, of this Prophecy.

13

  b.  pl. Matter emitted in sneezing. rare–1.

14

1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 431. The sneezings of a Musk-cat is an excellent remedy against the resolution of the sinews or the Palsie.

15

  † 2.  A preparation or powder inducing sternutation; an errhine or sternutatory. Obs.

16

1621.  Burton, Anat. Mel., II. V. II. iv. Sneesings, masticatories and nasalls, are generally receiued.

17

1632.  trans. Bruel’s Praxis Med., 61. A sneezing of pepper, Hellebore.

18

1653.  W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored (1654), 165. Of the administration of gargarisms, or sneezings, and such like.

19

  † b.  Snuff. Obs. (Cf. SNEESHING 1.)

20

1648.  Dunfermline Kirk Sess. Rec. (1865), 25. Those that offers and takes snising in the kirk.

21

1672.  Essex Papers (Camden Soc.), 7. Who euer sells Ale, Tobacco, Sneezinge Broges, &c. is an Irish Merchant.

22

c. 1680[?].  F. Sempill, in Poems Sempills (1849), 70. A mill of good snizing to prie.

23

1720.  Swift, Irish Feast, Wks. 1755, IV. I. 27. Give us a pinch Of your sneezing.

24

  3.  attrib. and Comb., as sneezing-coffer, -maker, -mill, -powder, -tobacco.

25

1611.  Cotgr., Sternutatoire, a sneezing medicine, or powder.

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a. 1616.  Beaum. & Fl., Kt. of Malta, II. iv. Bring a little sneezing powder in your pocket.

27

1626.  Bacon, Sylva, § 38. Sneezing-powder and other powders or Liquors (which the Physitians call Errhines).

28

1643.  Dunfermline Kirk Sess. Rec. (1865), 12. Those who … taks yr sneising tobacco in the most remott … pairt of ye said yle.

29

1659.  in W. Macgill, Old Ross-sh. (1909), 377. Walter Denune, sneisin maker.

30

1681.  Colvil, Whig’s Supplic., II. 134. And there his Sneezing Milne and Box lyes.

31

1812.  J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict., Sneezer or Sneezing-Cofer, a snuff-box.

32

  † b.  Sneezing-wort, = SNEEZEWORT. Obs.

33

1611.  Cotgr., s.v. Esternuer, Sneesingwort, or sneesewort of Austria, wild Pellitorie of Spaine.

34

1682.  Wheler, Journ. Greece, III. 219. With long sharp leaves, with streight Nerves, in shape like Sneezing Woort.

35

1741.  Compl. Fam. Piece, II. iii. 397. You have now in Flower the … double Ptarmica or Sneezing-wort.

36

  c.  Sneezing brick (see quot.).

37

1887.  Archit. Soc. Dict., VII. 97. Sneezing Brick, one of the names given to the burnt bricks which case the clamp before burning.

38