Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1739, 1812, 1866, 1929-1955
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SNIPE, n.2, v.2 Also snype.
I. n. 1. A smart blow, a fillip (Bnff., Abd., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1971).Abd. 1739 Caled. Mag. (1788) 499:
T' come o'er him wi' a snype, Levell'd his nose maist wi' his chin.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick vi.:
An antrin snipe ower 'e fingers.
2. A setback, a loss by being cheated, a disappointment, let-down, fraud, cheat (Bnff., Abd. 1880 Jam.; Bnff., Abd. 1971). Phr. to get a snype, to be cheated, to get the worst side of a bargain. Cf. Eng. snip, a swindle or cheat.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 174:
He got a gey sair snype wee's breethir fin he brook.Abd. 1929 J. Alexander Mains & Hilly 193:
Tho' they get a bit snype or twa, it's gweed for them.
3. A rebuff, a gibe, a sarcasm (Lth. 1808 Jam.). Phr. tae tak snype, to take offence, to feel offended or insulted (Ork. 1929 Marw.).
4. A tailor. Cf. Eng. slang snip, id.m.Lth. 1812 P. Forbes Poems 163:
The taylor had an awkward beast, It threw poor snipe five ell at least.
II. v. 1. To strike smartly, to fillip (Bnff., Abd., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1971).
2. To cheat, to defraud, to bring loss upon (Abd. 1880 Jam.; Bnff., Abd. 1971). Cf. Eng. slang snip, id. Hence sniper, a disappointment (Abd. 1971).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 174:
He snypet 'im wee the sellan o's corn.Abd. 1929 J. Alexander Mains & Hilly 46:
There's een . . . 'at wis snypit o' an aul' fairmer mannie up throu'.
3. To reprimand, to snub (Abd. 1825 Jam., Abd. 1971). Also in Eng. dial. in forms snip(e).
[Appar. an emphatic altered form of Snip, which coincides in several meanings. There may also have been some influence from Snipe, n.1]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Snipe n.2, v.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/snipe_n2_v2>
