Middle English Dictionary Entry
snǒut(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | snǒut(e n. Also snouet, snouth, (early) snute. |
| Etymology | ?OE: cp. snȳtan & snȳting; also cp. MDu., MLG snūte. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The snout of a swine, boar, rhinoceros, dog, dragon, etc.; ?also with pun on sense 2.(a) [2nd quot.]; ?also, the bill or beak of a bird [quot. 1440]; (b) the trunk of an elephant.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1300 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Sln 809)1110 : Snout [vrr. wrot, groyn; glossing AF (Cmb): groin].
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)182 : F. saunz groyn fune: W. with-oute snoute wrotith.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4095 : I say a beest Was lyk an hound..His snowte smal with glowyng eyen tweye.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.1400 : This Leoun..A beste..Hath slain, and with his blodi snoute, Whan he hath eten what he wolde, To drynke of thilke stremes colde Cam to the welle.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)278a/a : Gentylnesse and nobilite of houndes and of bicches is y-knowe by lengþe of face and of þe snowte.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6524 : Rinoceros..þe lyouns it wil slee, For on his snoute an horne he beres.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)28 : They..wroot in the grounde with þe rowel of her snowte, þe which is ryght hard.
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)121.105/1 : Take swynes feet & snowtes and the eerys..& do hem to seeþ in the þriddel of wyne & vyneger.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.200 : Wolves..whanne þei bigynen to ȝoule..turnen her snowte to hevene ward.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)462 : Snowte [Win: Snowth], or bylle: Rostrum, promussida.
- 1451-1500 Tundale (Wagner)870 : His mouthe was wyde, he was syde lypped, His snowte was with irne typped.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.223 : Þe swyn..with wrotynge of his snowte defylyth the place ther he goth.
b
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)545 : For here mikle reming, rennande cumeð a gungling..his snute him under puteð &..ðis elp he reisen on stalle.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.159 : By þe prayer of Seint Iame..þe snowtes [Higd.(2): nostrelles; L proboscides] of olyfauntes and his hors eren were..ful of gnattes and stoutes and of greet flyes.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)284a/a : The Elephant hatte Elephans..and his snowte and wrotte hatte promuscida.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)89b : Some smyte of þe snowtes or þe wrotes of þe olifauntes wiþ swerdes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3633 : Þire Olifantis of ynde..was snaypid on þe snowte with þe snart hetis.
2.
(a) A human nose; -- used derisively; (b) a person's face; countenance, demeanor; shamen berd and ~, to cause (sb.) to redden with shame over his whole face, cause (sb.) to be totally ashamed; (c) in oaths and asseverations.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)63/1082 : He lokede him abute, Wiþ his colmie snute.
- ?c1335 Elde makiþ me (Hrl 913)p.171 : I snurpe, i snobbe, i sneipe on snovte.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1760 : A Sarasyn saw he, ful of pride, ouer þe brigge þat lyned oute; A boȝ adoun on þat tyde and cauȝte hym by þe snoute & cast him on þe ryuer vnryde.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)5751 : He smot him so opon the snoute That bothe his eyen wenten oute.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)564 : Who þat metith hym first, pay hym on the snoute.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)135/585 : Gyf me lefe hym to kys and lyft vp the clowtt; what the dewill is this? he has a long snowte.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)2918 : For bifor þis heiȝe men Þou most it pelt in oȝen, And bot þou miȝtest drawe it out, Þe wold schame berd and snout!
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)7688 : Þai wolden passen þurthoute iiij xx m Sarrazins wiþ rowe snoute.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.128 : I am wroth, I not how ofte And al it is Malencolie, Which groweth of the fantasie Of love..So bere I forth an angri snoute Ful manye times in a yer.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2749 : I hadde levere..Er I were set on such a slouthe And beere such a slepi snoute, Bothe yhen of myn hed were oute.
c
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1595 : What, yuel thedam on his monkes snowte [vr. snowet]!
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)11935 : Ȝif he come, we schal hym route & reue hym his regne, maugre his snoute.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1819 : Euele grace com on þi snowte!
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)506 : Ya, ellys I beschrew my snowte!
- a1500 Bevis (Cmb Ff.2.38)88/65 : Then seyde the portar, 'Be my snowte, Thys was Befyse, that y lete owte.'
- ?a1500(a1475) Wright's CW (Lamb 306)560 : Nay, þen sorowe come on my snowte If they passe hens to-daye.
3.
The blunt, curved end of a needle, used to guide a scalpel in laying open a fistula; the nib of a pen; the ram of a warship.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.237 : Artaxerses hadde..schippes of werre wiþ yren snowtes.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)9/10 : Anoþer instrument..is called Acus rostrata, a snowted nedle..and it ow to be no gretter ne lenger in þe snowte þan as it is paynted, but it ow to be longer..þat it contene in al 8 ynches.
- c1425 Arderne Fistula (Sln 6)24/23 : Putte..þe poynt of þe rasour in þe holwnes of þe snowte.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)901 : My penne also gynnyth make obstacle, And lyst no lengere on paper to renne, For I so ofte haue maad to grenne Hys snowte vp-on my thombys ende.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. snout.