sneck

¹ American  

[snek] / snɛk /

noun

Scot. and North England.

1. a door latch or its lever.

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sneck ² American  

[snek] / snɛk /

noun

1. a small stone, as a spall, inserted into the spaces between larger pieces of rubble in a wall.

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verb (used with object)

1. to fill (spaces between larger stones) with snecks.

sneck ¹ British  

/ snɛk /

noun

1. a small squared stone used in a rubble wall to fill spaces between stones of different height

2. dialect the latch or catch of a door or gate

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verb

1. dialect to fasten (a latch)

sneck ² British  

/ snɛk /

noun

1. a Scot word for snick

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Other Word Forms

• snecker noun

Etymology

Origin of sneck¹

1275–1325; Middle English snek ( k ); cf. snatch

Origin of sneck²

1275–1325; Middle English; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

Redcowl, redcowl, come if ye daur; Lift the sneck, and draw the bar.

From The Life of Mansie Wauch Tailor in Dalkeith, written by himself by Moir, David Macbeth

He pickt it up an lifted th' sneck,    Then gently oppen'd th' door, An thear wor Nancy an his bairns,    All huddled up o'th' flooar.

From Yorkshire Lyrics Poems written in the Dialect as Spoken in the West Riding of Yorkshire. To which are added a Selection of Fugitive Verses not in the Dialect by Hartley, John

"He lifts the bars wi' his nose, but he canna sneck them ahint him when he comes back."

From Bog-Myrtle and Peat Tales Chiefly of Galloway Gathered from the Years 1889 to 1895 by Crockett, S. R. (Samuel Rutherford)

"See gin that door's on the sneck, Sandy, an' dinna lat the can'le blaw oot."

From My Man Sandy by Salmond, J. B.

Keen blaws the wind o'er Donocht head, The snaw drives snelly thro' the dale, The Gaberlunzie tirls my sneck, And, shivering, tells his waefu' tale.

From The Letters of Robert Burns by Burns, Robert