Middle English Dictionary Entry
snīpe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | snīpe n. Pl. snīpes, snippes. |
| Etymology | Prob. ON: cp. OI mȳri-snīpa, Norw. myrsnipa, strandsnipa; for form snippes also cp. MDu., MLG snippe. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. snite n.
1.
(a) A snipe, esp. the common snipe (Gallinago gallinago), great snipe (G. media), or jacksnipe (Lymnocryptes minima); (b) the Egyptian ibis (Threskiornis aethiopica).
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1300 StJ.List Trees (StJ-C E.17)p.155 : Bekaz: Snype.
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Arun 220)p.166 : Un oysel ke est dist becaz [glossed:] a snype [vr. snyte] Pres du rivere est pris en laz.
- (1430) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9961 : In 12 pluverse, 6 wodcokkes, 1 pertryke, 1 teill, et 18 snypys, empt. 2 s. 11 d.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)461 : Snype, or snyte, byrde: Ibex.
- c1450(c1353) Winner & W.(Add 31042)349 : He will hafe..Barnakes and buturs and many billed snyppes.
- a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)p.35 : To wodcok, snype, curlue also, Þe betore in fere with hom schalle goo; Alle schun be draȝun..And honestly rostyd.
- a1500 Herkyn to my tale (Adv 19.3.1)p.82 : In a symphon sange tho snype with notes of tho nyghtgale.
- a1500 Mayer Nominale (Mayer)701/39 : Ibis, ibex: a snype.
b
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.323 : Moises..brouȝhte his hoste thro places fulle of serpentes, to whom he putte bryddes callede snypes [Trev.: ciconyas; L ibices, id est, ciconias Ægyptias], odious to serpentes and amiable to men.