Obs. [perh. imitative of a sneezing sound, but cf. Da. and Sw. snus. See also snish SNEESH sb.]
1. Snuff. (Freq. c. 1680–1700.)
1671. Crowne, Juliana, III. 33. Some snush would purge your simple brain.
1698. Phil. Trans., XX. 7. He had Snush on his Hand, as if just ready to take it.
1700. Farquhar, Constant Couple, II. [Stage direction] Throws snush into his eye.
1716. M. Davies, Athen. Brit., III. Diss. Drama 31. To see six or seven Spanish and Italian Priestly Converts … Carrying of Snush, like Jews, from Door to Door.
1767. Meston, Poems (ed. 6), 82. Bedaub’d with soot, and snush and bubblings.
1825. Jamieson, Suppl., Snush, snuff; a term still used by old people; Aberd[een].
2. A pinch, or small quantity, of snuff.
1703. M. Martin, Desc. Western Islands, 14. They will tug at the Oar all day long upon Bread and Water, and a snush of Tobacco.
3. attrib., as snush-box, -tobacco.
1682. Lond. Gaz., No. 1757/4. A round Gold Snush-box.
1691. trans. Emilianne’s Observ. Journ. Naples, 204. The Gentlemen that Travell’d with me, having presented them with a Paper of Bononia Snush-Tobacco.
1702. T. Morer, Short Acc. Scotl., 20. They are fond of Tobacco, but more from the Snush-Box than pipe.
1709. Prior, Cupid & Ganymede, 13. A Snush-Box, set with bleeding Hearts, Rubies, all pierc’d with Diamond Darts.
