Intensely painful or destructive; keen, piercing; deadly. Of a thing, esp. a natural agent, weapon, disease, suffering, poison, etc.

Of wind, etc.: Nipping, cutting; piercing, sharp. (Cf. snithe, adj.)

Eager, impetuous, violent. Of winter, wintry weather, frost, wind, air: Cuttingly cold, keen.

From the use in hoar-frost, n. (sense A. 2b) comes probably that of ‘Cold, nipping’ (Jamieson). Scottish. Obsolete.

Of the wind, etc.: Checking growth; nipping, biting. Also in figurative context.

Sharp, piercing, keen. Of the air, wind, weather.

Of wind, cold, etc.: Sharp, keen, cutting, severe; hence of the weather: Bitingly cold.

= snithing, adj.

Of wind, weather, etc.

Of weather, etc.: Sharp, biting, cold. dialect.