Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

SNEEVIL, v., n. Also -el, -le, sneivle; snaivle, and in reduced forms sneel, snyle (sm.Sc.). Cf. Gavel, n.¹, Nael, Raivel. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. snivel. [sni:vl]

I. v. 1. tr. and intr. To speak through the nose, speak with a nasal snuffling tone, to whine (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 430, sneel; n. and s.Sc. 1825 Jam., s.v. snivel; Kcb.² 1900, sneel; ne.Sc., Ags., Ayr., Kcb. 1971). Rare or dial. in Eng.Edb. 1720 A. Pennecuik Helicon 19:
Broach'd since by sneevling Priests in angry mood.Sc. 1830 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1856) III. 89:
Be he frog-eatin Frenchman, sneevlin through his nose.Per. 1843 R. Nicoll Poems 103:
The kilt he exchanged for a braw pair o' breeks, The Gaelic nae langer did snivel.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 221:
Ye wud think ye wur amang a ship-load o' Cheenamen, sneevelin that wey.Uls. 1904 Vict. Coll. Mag. 46:
One who talks through a cleft palate is said to “sneevle”.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick v.:
Hielan' Hector frae the Wast . . . he sneevles throwe his niz.

2. To cringe, to act in a sycophantic, self-demeaning, or insincere manner. Gen.Sc. Also in n.Eng. dial.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxiv.:
I say Amen to ilka word o' that. Sneevellin hypocrites.Sc. 1873 C. Gibbon For Lack of Gold iv.:
Do you mean yet to gang sneevling after a lass whase folk gie out that you want nought but her tocher?Edb. 1915 T. W. Paterson Auld Saws 71:
A body that wad sneivle doon to cheat.Lnk. 1923 G. Rae Langsyne xii.:
Snaivlin', sneck-drawin', key-hole-keekin' hypocrisy.

II. n. 1. In pl.; a severe cold in the nose, causing difficulty of breathing (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 172; Ork., n. and m.Sc. 1971). Obs. or dial. in Eng.

2. A nasal intonation, a nasal twang (Ork., ne., em.Sc.(a), wm.Sc., Gall. 1971); a snuffle in one's speech.Lnk. a.1832 W. Watt Poems (1860) 88:
A weegle in her walk had Kate Darymple, A sneevil in her talk.wm.Sc. 1854 Laird of Logan 417:
One of the girls had a burr, and the other a snivel.Bwk. 1863 Border Mag. (Aug. 1937) 116:
A sneevil he had contracted from an extraordinar' love o' snuff.Per. 1881 D. Macara Crieff 22:
Mr Grant, who had a sort of sneevil when speaking.Abd. 1905 W. Watson Auld Lang Syne 186:
A kind of “sneevle ” in his speech.