Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

(Sneviller,) Snifler, Snaffler, n. [Late ME sneveler (once, c1450) and 18th c. Eng. sniv'ler (Swift) one who snivels or whines (OED, s.v. Sniveller n.). Cf. 18th c. Eng. snaffler a highwayman (1700), snaffle to steal, purloin (1725). Cf. also the later dial. ‘a term of contempt for a creeping, insidious rascal’ (SND, s.v. Snaffle n.), ‘to cringe, to act in a sycophantic, self-demeaning … manner' (SND, s.v. Sneevil v.). A term of opprobrium: A weak-spirited, ineffective person; a sycophant; a rogue. — 1598–9 Cal. Sc. P. XIII 428.
[The chancellor … is neither scholar nor lawyer able to serve their turns … as the king in anger thereat called him] snifler c1610 Melville Mem. 243.
The lard of Grange … lamented hauely for the Regentis slachter and said gene he knew wha did that foull deid … he suld tak reuenge … with his awen hand. And wheras … he vsed to be … gentill he now boursted out with hard langage against the disorder and gredines of them and callit them snafflers and beastis c1610 Melville Mem. 371.
The chanceler … caused it to com vnto his maiesteis eares that he suld saill and bring the quen with him … that they wer all bot snaffelers that was with hir