Show Search Results Show Browse

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SNIPPACK, n. Also -i(c)k, -ock, snip(p)ek, erron. snippook (Sh. 1932 J. M. E. Saxby Trad. Lore 200), snippo. [′snɪpək, ′snɪpo]

1. The snipe, Capella gallinago (Sh. 1837 R. Dunn Ornithol. Guide 86, Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Ork. 1929 Marw., snippo; Sh. 1971). Combs.: ebb-snippek, the dunlin, see Ebb; muckle snippek, the wood-cock, Scolopax rusticola (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)); myre-snippo, the snipe (Ork. 1929 Marw.). Cf. Mire-snipe, s.v. Mire, n.1Sh. 1867 Zoologist II. 538:
The “snippack's” supposed power of making its voice heard close at hand one moment and a hundred yards off the next.
Sh. 1933 J. Nicolson Hentilagets 12:
He'll set aff ta see if da snippiks ir layin.
Sh. 1949 New Shetlander (Mar.–Apr.) 10:
“Da voar bird” is a name sometimes applied to the Snipe, for which the Shetland name of “Snippik” sounds even more appropriate.

2. Transf.: a flighty or giddy girl (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)); a sharp-tongued woman (Sh. 1970), by association with Snip, v., 2. Cf. Norw. dial. snipa, small woman.

[Dim. form ad. Norw. dial. snipa, Icel. and Faer. -snípa, O.N. -snípa, in comb. Mýrisnipa, = 1.]

You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.

"Snippack n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/snippack>

24854

snd

Hide Advanced Search

Browse SND:

    Loading...

Share: