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

See Examples For:

sneck

For one awful moment he paused, with a finger on the sneck; then he pressed the latch and entered.

From The Revellers by Tracy, Louis

These quotations will clearly show that "sneck" or "snick" applies to a door; and that to sneck a door is to shut it.

From Notes and Queries, Number 29, May 18, 1850 by Various

Some anglers are partial to the Kirby bend, but perhaps you get better hold of your fish with the sneck bend hooks.

From The Teesdale Angler by Lakeland, R.

"What's that?" cried Mattha from within; "I thought it might be the sneck of a gate."

From The Shadow of a Crime A Cumbrian Romance by Caine, Hall, Sir

The deil wins in for the liftin' o' the sneck.

From Malcolm by MacDonald, George