Forms: 3–4 snute, 4–6 snoute, 4–7 snowte, 7 snoote; 4– snout (6 snought), 6–7, Sc. 8–9 snowt, 9 Sc., north. (and U.S.) snoot. (ME. snūt(e, = WFris. snút, snute (NFris. snüt, snit), MDu. snūte, snuut (Kilian snuyte, Du. snuit), MLG. snût(e, G. schnauze († schnausze, schnauz), MSw. and Sw. dial. snuta, Da. snude, Norw. and Sw. snut.
The early history of these forms is somewhat obscure. There is no example of an OE. or ON. snút or snút-, although the existence of the stem is proved by the verbal derivatives, OE. snýtan, ON. snýta (see SNITE v.), and it is possible that both in English and the Scand. languages the sb. has been adopted from LG. A variation of the stem appears in the synonymous older G. schnotz(e.]
1. a. The trunk of an elephant. Also transf.
c. 1220. Bestiary, 669, in O. E. Misc. Rennande cumeð a ȝungling,… his snute him under puteð, and … ðis elp he reisen on stalle.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 159. Þe snowtes of olyfauntes and his hors eren were … ful of gnattes.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 3633. Þire Olifantis of ynde … was snaypid on þe snowte with þe snart hetis.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 196 b. [The elephant] with his snoute tendrely plucked out of his maisters bodye all the said dartes one after an other.
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 72. Also ye long snout of an Elephant is called an hand or an arme, for that by that instrument he worketh manie things.
1600. J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, IX. 337. If the Elephant intendeth to hurt any man, he casteth him on the ground with his long snout or trunk.
1676. Wood, Life (O.H.S.), II. 349. Crest unicorne head … between elephants’ snowtes.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v. Elephant, The Elephant this author [Linnæus] distinguishes by his snout.
1828–32. Webster, Trunk,… the snout or proboscis of an elephant.
b. The projecting part of the head of an animal, which includes the nose and mouth (= MUZZLE sb.1 1); the proboscis or rostrum of an insect; † the beak or bill of a bird, etc.
13[?]. K. Alis., 6534 (Laud MS.). On his snoute an horne he [the rhinoceros] beres.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., I. 200. Whanne þei bigynen to ȝoule, þei turnen her snowte to hevene ward.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 326. This Leoun … A beste … Hath slain, and with his blodi snoute [etc.].
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 462/1. Snowte, or bylle, rostrum.
c. 1475. Henryson, Poems (S.T.S.), III. 151. With þe snowt of ane selch, ane swelling to swage.
1535. Coverdale, Prov. xi. 22. Like a rynge of golde in a swynes snoute.
1570. Levins, Manip., 228. Ye Snoute of a dog, rostrum. Ibid. Ye Snout of a fish, rostrum.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 390. Only the little pretty snouts end of a mouse.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 245. They [Crocodiles] have a long sharp Snout, full of long and sharp Teeth, but no Tongue.
1725. Fam. Dict., s.v. Boar, In the Choice of this Animal, you must pitch upon one that is handsome, having … a thick Head, long Snout.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v. Rostrum, The rostrum or snout in fishes varies very much in figure.
1784. Cowper, Task, V. 50. His dog … snatches up the drifted snow,… or ploughs it with his snout.
1802. Shaw, Gen. Zool., III. II. 587. Greenish-black Slow-Worm … with elongated snout.
1873. Mivart, Elem. Anat., ix. 380. An extra median ossicle may be developed in the snout, as e.g. in the Mole.
1901. P. Fountain, Deserts N. Amer., ix. 183. The large fleshy snout of the moose.
2. Contemptuously: The nose in man, esp. when large or badly shaped; † the face or countenance.
a. 1300. K. Horn, 1082. He lokede him abute, Wiþ his colmie snute.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 1760. A boȝ adoun on þat tyde and cauȝte hym [the Saracen] by þe snoute.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 7942. Some lefft his hed, and som his snout.
1483. Cath. Angl., 347/1. A Snowte, vbi A nese.
1508. Kennedie, Flyting w. Dunbar, 550. Out! out! I schout, apon that snowt that snevillis.
1548. Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Luke i. 26. The sturdie holders up of their snoute he hath cast downe.
1592. Greene, Upst. Courtier, Wks. (Grosart), XI. 242. Betweene the filthy reumicast of his bloudshotten snowt, there appeared smale holes.
1645. Milton, Colast., Wks. 1851, IV. 368. But what should a man say more to a snout in this pickle?
1693. Dryden, etc. Juvenal, x. (1697), 250. What Ethiop Lips he has, How foul a Snout, and what a hanging Face!
1708. Brit. Apollo, No. 38. 2/1. Her Chin and Snout are so firmly united.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl. (1815), 72. A young fellow,… when he first thrusts his snout into the world, is apt to be surprised at many things.
1820. Scott, Monast., xxvi. Sae I said it wad prove since I first saw the false Southron snout of thee.
1905. G. H. Lorimer, Old Gorgon Graham, 220. Just as he got good and ready to strike, I pasted him one in the snoot.
† b. In asseverations or imprecations. Obs.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 11935. We schal … reue hym his regne, maugre his snoute.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Shipman’s T., 1595. What? evel thedom on his monkes snowte!
14[?]. Sir Beues (MS. C), 1622 + 65. Then seyde the portar, ‘Be my snowte, Thys was Befyse, that y lete owte.’
3. The end of a ship’s prow; the beak or rostrum of a vessel.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 237. Schippes of werre wiþ yren snowtes.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, VIII. xii. 2. The weyrly schippis wyth thair snowtis of steyll.
a. 1572. Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. 1846, I. 120. Upon Sounday … ordered thei thare schippis so that a galay or two lade thare snowttis to the craiggis.
1632. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 61. Metaneone … hastened to grapple with the Galley; and … tearing off her snout,… bruised her all-over.
a. 1668. Lassels, Voy. Italy (1698), II. 84. The Rostra or brazen snouts of the ships won from the Antiates.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exped., xxiii. (1856), 182. Five black masses [sc. ships] … are seen with their snouts shoved into the shore of ice.
1871. R. Ellis, Catullus, lxiv. 12. Scarcely the forward snout tore up that wintery water.
4. A structure, formation, projecting part, etc., resembling or suggestive of a snout; a nozzle or the like. Also with of.
a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc. 9. A snowted nedle … ow to be no gretter ne lenger in þe snowte þan as it is paynted. Ibid., 24. Putte … þe poynt of þe rasour in þe holwnes of þe snowte.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 27. My penne also gynnyth make obstacle,… For I so ofte have maad to penne Hys snowte up on my thombys ende.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 12. Your glister pot should be made with a snout or lip.
1623. Minsheu, Sp. Dict., Limon del cárro, the long snout that goeth between the oxen in a waine.
1687. Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., I. Tuiau de Souflet, a Bellows-Snout.
1755. Johnson, Snout,… the nosel or end of any hollow pipe.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 1535/1. The snout of a pair of bellows or a tuyere.
1902. ‘Linesman,’ Words by Eyewitness, 198. The heavy naval ordnance begin to cock their long snouts higher … into the air.
b. A projecting point of land, rock, etc.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), I. p. xxviii. Galloway rinnis, with ane gret snout of craggis … in the Irland seis. This snout is callit be the peple, the Mulis Nuk.
1773. Fergusson, Poems, II. (1789), 35. The bonny wa’-flowers sprout On yonder Ruin’s lofty snout.
1867. N. Macleod, Highland Parish, Spirit of Eld, 362. The black raven … sat on a snout of rock above him.
1873. Bruce, in Morley, Gladstone, VI. xi. (1905), II. 47. I see no other rock ahead; but sometimes they project their snouts unexpectedly.
c. The front portion or termination of a glacier.
1841. Capt. B. Hall, Patchwork, I. vii. 107. The glacier;… its enormous snout ploughs up the ground before it.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. xvii. 322. The snout of the glacier abuts against the ground.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., 161. At the end, or snout, of the glacier this water issues forth.
† 5. slang. A hogshead. Obs.–0
1725. in New Cant. Dict. [Hence in Grose.]
6. One or other of various species of moths characterized by having abnormally long palpi projecting in front of the head; esp. the snout-moth, Hypena proboscidalis.
1819. G. Samouelle, Entomol. Compend., 424. Herminia albistrigalis. The white-line Snout.
1832. J. Rennie, Butterfl. & Moths, 145. The Snout. Ibid., 146. The Small Snout. Ibid., 147. White-line Snout…. Rib-striped Snout.
1882. Cassell’s Nat. Hist., VI. 66. The ‘Snout’ (Hypena proboscidalis),… a brown Moth, with rather slender body, and very long palpi, resembling a beak.
7. attrib., as snout-bone, -end, -nose, -piece; snout-beetle, one or other of several species of beetles characterized by having the head prolonged into a rostrum or proboscis; † snout-flower (see quot.); snout-horn, a rhinoceros (poet.); the horn of a rhinoceros or beetle; snout-moth (see sense 6); snout-ring (see quot.).
1868. Rep. U.S. Commissioner Agric. (1869), 308. The Curculionidæ, *snout beetles, or weevils, infest grain, seeds, or fruits.
1889. Cent. Dict., Otiorhynchidæ, an important family of rhynchophorous Coleoptera, or snout-beetles.
1846. Youatt, Pig (1847), 118. Between the supplemental, or *snout-bone, and the proper nasal.
1681. Grew, Musæum, I. II. i. 18. From his *Snout-end to his Tail.
1715. Phil. Trans., XXIX. 269. Plantæ Nasifloræ. *Snout-flowers.
1625. Lisle, Du Bartas, Noe, 28. The *Snout-horne large, The rinde-hide Elephant, the Camel.
c. 1711. Petiver, Gazophyl., VII. § 70. Sawing thro’ the Bark by the Help of their Snout-horn.
1819. G. Samouelle, Entomol. Compend., 253. *Snout moth.
1887. Cassell’s Encycl. Dict., s.v., Snout-moth, Hypena proboscidalis. Body slender, wings broad and triangular, colour mainly brown.
1896. Lydekker, Roy. Nat. Hist., VI. 118. The snout-moths (Hypena).
1775. Ash, Silo,… one that has a *snout nose.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., III. iii. IV. ii. 702. A modest virgine … to such a faire *snout piece is much to be preferred.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2230/2. *Snout-ring. A ring or staple placed in the nose of a hog to deter him from rooting.
8. Comb., as snout-bearing, -holy, -horned, -like.
1589. [? Nashe], Almond for Parrat, 4. The painted poison of snout-holy deuotion.
1593. G. Harvey, Pierce’s Super., Wks. (Grosart), II. 302. That same snowt-horned Rhinoceros.
1883. Cassell’s Encycl. Dict., s.v. Curculionidæ, Sub-tribe Rhynchophora (Snout-bearing Insects).
1909. Daily Chron., 18 Jan., 5/3. A very remarkable snout-like head.
