Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Snedding, vbl. n. Also: sknedding, sne(e)ding. [Sned v.] a. ? Erron. for sledding (Sledding vbl. n.). b. The action of pruning or trimming (trees, etc.). Also fig. c. Prunings, trimmings. Also in fig. context. d. attrib. with Knife n.: A pruning knife. Also in fig. context.a. 1565 (1585–6) Reg. Great S. 304/1.
Lie bonage, viz. … 1½ day wark in harrowing with double hors, 1½ day wark in snedding with ane hors [etc.]b. 1587 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 289.
To the gardiner for snedding of the haill treis abowt the haill wallis iij s. 1591 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 425.
2 gairdneris … snedding the treis & pletting the thorne in the buriall ȝaird 1639 Falkirk Baron Ct. 12 Feb.
The said Allexander to haue libertie to goe about the said hedge for snedding thairoffig. 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 390.
In that vocation … is the greatest snedding of sin that can bec. 1602 Colville Paraenese 45.
S. Aug[ustine] comparit hereseis vnto … sneddings of the vyne vhilk ly still inutilly in the place vhar thai be sned of 16… E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 15.
Who so ever shall steal or take away sneedings or rize [etc.]d. attrib. 1638 Henderson Serm. 291.
The Lord, he takes the snedding knife in his awin hand, and sneds off these [sc. branches] 1643 Edinb. Test. LX 271.
Ane sknedding knyff 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 368.
A litle snedding knyfe 1689 Foulis Acc. Bk. 112.
For a jock the leg sneding [pr. sueding] knife from Mr. Ha. Ferguson 1689 Foulis Acc. Bk. 115.
A sneding [pr. sueding] knife and ane iron for cuting strawberries 1718 Household Bk. Gr. Baillie 255.