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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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SNUD, n., v. Also snudd, snüd; sneud (Ork.); snöd (Jak.); snood. [snød]

I. n. 1. A twist, coil, a winding, a loop, the spiral twist of a strand of rope (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), 1914 Angus Gl.; I.Sc. 1971); a tangle, a ravelled state.Sh. 1901 T. P. Ollason Mareel 20:
Every stick athin da bed wis twisted in a snüd.Sh. 1904 E.D.D.:
'Too much snöd,' applied to a rope or fishing-line when the strands are too closely twisted.Ork. 1911 J. Omond 80 Years Ago 18:
A good plaiter would twist them together so that if a clew were thrown out on the floor it would stretch out in a straight line without showing any snoods or snirls.Ork. 1930 Orcadian (13 Feb.):
The hallow was composed of three wisps o' strae, one wisp laid atop of the other, then all three tied together with a "soukan," or sneud.

Derivs. and phr.: (1) snüdder, a strand-layer, a grooved wooden block used to keep the strands separate and the coils taut in rope-making (Ork. 1961 Gwerin III. 154); (2) snüddie, sneudie, (i) a rope-twister, an instrument for making straw-ropes (Sh. 1961 Gwerin III. 211); (ii) attrib., made with a snüddie, twisted, plaited.(2) (ii) Sh. 1962 New Shetlander No. 60. 26:
Dey even spak aboot da snüddi-teddir he'd kringed da twa white lambs wi.

2. A twisting movement or toss of the head, esp. as a sign of annoyance (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), 1914 Angus Gl.; I.Sc. 1971); fig., peevishness, the sulks (Sh. 1904 E.D.D.). ¶Deriv. snüddy, peevish, cross.Sh. 1897 Jakobsen Dial. Sh. 39:
He has ta'en a snüd.Sh. 1901 Shetland News (9 Feb.):
Shü fetch'd da ox a lunder ower da back fil he fled doon ower, an' gae a snüd or twa apon his head.Sh. 1953 New Shetlander No. 36. 16:
Whin I wis sma I ruddged da rigs, Dat made me tirn an' snüddy.

II. v. 1. tr. and intr. To twist, to coil, to wind, to plait (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), 1914 Angus Gl.; I.Sc. 1971).Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 60:
Her gertins wur meed o' a lock o' sneuded girse or strae.Sh. 1900 Shetland News (1 Dec.):
Shü snudid up a knuk o' rowers.Sh. 1947 Sh. Folk Bk. I. 50:
De treed is snüddin' troo de e'e.

2. To coil a fishing-line in such a way as to prevent the hooks becoming entangled. It is not certain that this should not be associated with Snuid.Sh. 1846 Fraser's Mag. (Sept.) 334:
He then takes the fish into the boat, cavils or separates them from the hook, and then rolls up the toam, so that the lines may not be ravelled, which is called snooding the hooks.

3. tr. To toss or shake (the head) threateningly, as an angry cow (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.).Sh. 1900 Shetland News (23 June):
Shüs been faerd fir da dug. Shü snudds her head whin iver shü sees him comin' her wye.