Now dial. and Sc. Forms: 1 snytan, 5 snytyn, 5–7, dial. and Sc. 9 snyte (5 snyth-), 5– snite (5 snete); 6 snytte, 7 snit, snett. Pa. t. 4 snytte. Pa. pple. 4 y-snyt, 7 snit. [OE. snýtan, ON. and Icel. snýta (Norw. and Sw. snyta, Da. snyde), OHG. snûzan (MHG. snûtzen, sniuzen, G. schneuzen, schnäuzen), MLG. snûten (LG. snüten), Da. snuiten (WFris. snute): the stem snūt- is prob. the same as that of SNOUT sb. Cf. also SNOT sb.]
† a. intr. To clean or wipe the nose; to cast away mucus. b. trans. To remove by wiping, etc.
a. 1100. in Napier, Contrib. O. E. Lexicog., 58. Hræce & snyte bæftan him oððe adun be his sidan. Ibid. Swa hwæt swa man him fram hræce oððe snyte, fortrede hit mid his fotum.
a. 1586. in Maitland MS. (Pinkerton, 1786), 185. They snyte, thoch thair na mister be, That ye may thair trim napkyne see.
1598. Bp. Hall, Sat., VI. i. 85.
| So lookes he like a Marble toward rayne, | |
| And wrings, & smites [1808 snites], & weeps, & wipes againe. |
1632. Holland, Cyrupædia, VIII. ii. 181. Hee inured them to this, neither to spit nor snit openly in sight.
a. 1779. Graham, Writ. (1883), II. 154. A weel blooded hissie … that … snites the snotter frae their nose.
2. trans. To clean or clear (the nose) from mucus, esp. by means of the thumb and finger only; to blow. Also fig., to tweak or pull.
c. 1305. St. Dunstan, 85, in E. E. P. (1862), 36. Mid his tonge he snytte hire nose, and tuengde hire sore. Ibid., 91. As god þe schrewe hadde ibeo atom ysnyt his nose.
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 189. Therfor sayth Salamon, whoso ouer-harde Snythyth the noos, he draueth blode.
c. 1460. J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 284, in Babees Bk. Pike not youre nose…, Snyff nor snitynge hyt to lowd.
1530. Palsgr., 724/1. Snytte thy nose, or thou shalte eate no buttered fysshe with me.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXXV. xi. II. 550. Theodorus drew one snetting his nose. Ibid. (1632), Cyrupædia, 6. Even yet among the Persians it is held a shamefull thing … to snit the nose.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Snite his Snitch, Wipe his Nose, or give him a good Flap on the Face.
1701. Grew, Cosmol. Sacra, I. v. 26. Nor would any one be able to snite his Nose, or to Sneeze.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulgar T., Snite, to wipe, or slap.
1804. Couper, Poetry, II. 61 (E.D.D.). Tibb snyted Madge’s muckle nizz Till out the purple sprang.
1828–. in many dial. glossaries, etc. (Cumb., Westm., Lancs., Chesh., Yks., Derby, Linc., Leic., Heref., Glos.).
† b. Falconry. Of a hawk, etc.: To wipe (the beak or bill) after feeding. Obs.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, Hawking, a vj. An hawke snytith or sewith hir beke and not wipith hir beke.
1575. Turberv., Faulconrie, 289. Let hir tire against the Sunne, snyting and sewing hir beake a little at your discretion.
3. To snuff (a candle). ? Obs.
Cf. next for evidence of this use in OE.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 461/2. Snytyn … a candyl, emungo, mungo.
1483. Cath. Angl., 347/1. To Snyte … a candelle, mvngere.
a. 1800[?]. in Gordon, Bk. Chron. Keith (1880), 65. [He could not] snite [the candles and attend to his Psalm Book at the same time.]
1808. in Jamieson, s.v.
