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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.

Snek(k, n. Also: sneck, sneke, sneik, snake, snaik, snack. [ME and e.m.E. (chiefly north.) snek(k (a1324), snekke (Prompt. Parv.), sneke (1530), sneck (1600), also in the mod. dial.] A latch; also, specif. the lever which activates the fall bar. Also attrib. with loke (lok n.¹) and ring (Ring n.¹), and comb. with heid (Hede n.¹ 5) the latch catch.(a) 1516 Fam. Rose 189.
i^c pare of irne bandis, snekkis, and platis for durris 1552 Prot. Bk. James Foulis (SRS) 27.
[Sasine given … by placing the said William's hand on the] sneck of the door [and by shutting him in the houses] 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I 267.
iij pair of small bands with ryngs and sneks to the windoks 1565 Haddington Treas. Acc.
Snekk 1593 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 500.
To the dur off the ministeris ȝett … ane new hand with ane kneyit snek ane sneck heid and ane keipper 1601 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 771.
Ane snek and ane keipar to Mr. Johnne Hallis dur 1614 Soc. Ant. VII 553.
A new sneck to the Maiden 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 376.
For ane lifting snek and ring xxvi s. viii d. 1666-7 Blakhall Narr. 165.
It [sc. a door] was shut only with a sneck that lifted up 1688 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 213.
The complainer finding that there was only a sneck on the door he came … forth and … repaired for this place for shelter(b) 1494 Peebles Gleanings 128.
All lokkis, snekis, and all the irne wark and treyn wark neidful 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I 133.
ix snekkis with thair stapillis … ilk sneke xij d. 1611 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 332.
Aucht paire of bandis to the wardrop with ringes rosses and snekes therto(c) 1531–2 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 107.
The dure of the parpane wall witht ryngis roissis and sneikkis(d) 1639–40 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 396.
Ane pair of corstaild bands and a ring and snaik to them xv s. 1683 Hassendean Kirk S. 28 Oct.
A snake for the middle door(e) 1688 Peebles B. Rec. II 122.
Ane lock, snack, and slot upon the utter doorattrib. and comb. 1560 Edinb. Old Acc. II 98.
Ane snek [pr. swek], snek [pr. swek] heid and ane keper 1593 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 500 (see (a) above). 1611 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 336.
Ane snek loke with snekes and snekheids to my ladies cabenatt 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 364.
For ane great sneck ring and bat to the great dore … weyand 10 pund and ane quarter of pund

b. In allusive use: To draw a snek, to act stealthily or cunningly. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 458.
Thar word is fyrst in awdiens With fenȝeand falsat ay reddy To draw a snek rycht subtely