gnapn.
/nap/, U.S. /næp/, Scottish English /(ɡ)nap/ Scottish.
A bite, morsel.
ΚΠ
1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shepherdess 63 I was sent to them with their sma' disjune, An' san I saw their piece was but a gnap, I thought my sell of mending their mishap.
1866 W. Gregor Dial. Banffshire (Philol. Soc.) 67 Gnap, a morsel of anything eatable.
1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb ii. 17 That's to lat 'imsel' get a gnap no!
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
gnapv.
Obsolete exc. Scottish.
a. To bite in a snapping fashion. Usually intransitive or absol.The sense in quot. ?1553 is doubtful: it may be ‘chirped’.
ΚΠ
1303 R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne 10208 Sum gnappede here fete and handes As dogges doun þat gnawe here bandes.
?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xxxiii As many horses as do play with hym that is sore, and gnappe of the matter that ronneth out of the sore, shall haue ye same sorance within a moneth after.
?1553 (c1501) G. Douglas Palice of Honour (London) Prol. l. 44 in Shorter Poems (1967) 10 The gershoppers amangis the vergers gnappit.
1591 A. Fraunce Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch ii. ii Noebody giues them [Goates] Thyme and other flowrs to be gnapping.
16.. J. Melville MS. Mem. 55 (Jam.) In the nethermost [window] the Earle of Morton was standing gnapping on his staffe end.
1810 J. Cock Simple Strains 119 She..disna spare her cheese an' cakes To had our teeth a gnappin... Fu' crump, nae night.
b. figurative. to gnap at, to snap at, find fault with; also, to clip (words) in speaking.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > criticism > criticize [verb (transitive)] > captiously
upbraidc1290
bite1330
to gnap at1533
carp1550
cavil1581
carp1587
to pick at ——1603
to pick a hole (also holes) in1614
yark1621
vellicate1633
to peck at1641
snob1654
ploat1757
to get at ——1803
crab1819
to pick up1846
knock1892
snark1904
kvetchc1950
to pick nits1978
1533 T. Elyot Of Knowl. Wise Man Pref. [They] be alwaye gnappynge and kyckynge at suche examples.
1789 A. Shirrefs Poems (1790) 293 Keep me frae your travel'd birds, Wha..only ken to gnap at words.
1866 W. Gregor Dial. Banffshire (Philol. Soc.) 67 Gnap at, to taunt and find fault with; as, ‘He's a nyatterin' bodie: he's eye gnappin' at something’.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online March 2019).
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n.1768v.1303