sneck-drawern.
Now Scottish and northern.
One who draws or lifts a sneck or latch (in order to enter stealthily); a crafty, flattering, or sly fellow (cf. quot. 1808).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > cunning > [noun] > cunning person
foxc1000
yepea1250
slies1297
wily-man1393
wilyc1400
sneck-drawer1402
piea1425
wily-piec1450
artificera1500
tod?a1513
Sim Subtlea1529
serpentinea1533
prata1542
wily beguile1550
wily-wat?1550
elfa1556
dog fox1609
saccularian1652
sly-cap1681
sly-boots1699
craftsmaster1717
scunge1824
sleeveen1834
chickaleary1869
sneck-draw1886
rusée1889
slypuss1942
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > thief > burglar > [noun] > who draws or lifts latch
draw latch1331
latch-drawer1393
sneck-drawer1402
sneck-draw1886
1402 Polit. Poems (Rolls) II. 98 Ȝoure prowde losengerie that rune abowt as snek-drawers.
1806 R. Jamieson Pop. Ballads I. 295 Whan the tittlin ald snick-drawers fell to.
1808 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. (at cited word) An auld sneck-drawer, one who, from long experience, has acquired a great degree of facility in accomplishing any artful purpose.
1819 W. Scott Bride of Lammermoor xii, in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. I. 326 Doited idiot!—that auld clavering sneck-drawer wad gar ye trow the moon is made of green cheese.
1846 T. Chalmers Let. in W. Hanna Mem. T. Chalmers (1850) IV. xxiv. 457 He was just too much of a sneck-drawer.
Derivatives
ˈsneck-draw n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > cunning > [noun] > cunning person
foxc1000
yepea1250
slies1297
wily-man1393
wilyc1400
sneck-drawer1402
piea1425
wily-piec1450
artificera1500
tod?a1513
Sim Subtlea1529
serpentinea1533
prata1542
wily beguile1550
wily-wat?1550
elfa1556
dog fox1609
saccularian1652
sly-cap1681
sly-boots1699
craftsmaster1717
scunge1824
sleeveen1834
chickaleary1869
sneck-draw1886
rusée1889
slypuss1942
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > thief > burglar > [noun] > who draws or lifts latch
draw latch1331
latch-drawer1393
sneck-drawer1402
sneck-draw1886
1886 R. L. Stevenson Kidnapped xvi. 154 There's many a lying sneck-draw sits close in kirk.
1894 S. R. Crockett Raiders xxxi. 267 I ken the Maxwell lads, and I ken the hill sneckdraws.
sneck-drawing n. and adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > cunning > [adjective]
warec888
craftyOE
hinderyeapc1000
yepec1000
foxc1175
slya1200
hinderc1200
quaint?c1225
wrenchfulc1225
wiltfula1250
wilyc1330
subtle1340
cautelous138.
sleightful1380
subtile1387
enginousa1393
wilfula1400
wilyc1407
sleighty1412
serpentinec1422
ginnousa1425
wittya1425
semyc1440
artificial?a1475
sleight1495
slapea1500
shrewdc1525
craftly1526
foxy1528
gleering?1533
foxish1535
insidious1545
vafrous1548
wily beguile1550
wilely1556
fine1559
todly1571
practic1585
subdolous1588
captious1590
witryff1598
cautel1606
cunninga1616
versute1616
shiftfula1618
artificious1624
insidiary1625
canny1628
lapwing-like1638
pawky?a1640
tricksome1648
callid1656
versutious1660
artful1663
slim1674
dexterous1701
trickish1705
supple1710
slid1719
vulpinary1721
tricksy1766
trickful1775
sneck-drawing1786
tricky1786
louche1819
sneck-drawn1820
slyish1828
vulpine1830
kokum1839
spidery1843
dodgy1861
ladino1863
carney1881
slinky1951
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > burglary > [noun] > lock-picking or -forcing
black art1591
sneck-drawing1786
key working1901
loiding1968
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > secrecy, concealment > stealthy action, stealth > stealthy movement > [noun] > in order to surprise > by drawing latches
sneck-drawing1786
1786 R. Burns Poems 60 Ye auld, snick-drawing dog!
1819 W. Scott Bride of Lammermoor viii, in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. II. 158 The old sneck-drawing whigamore, her father.
c1830 J. Hogg Bridal of Polmood vii Onye sikkan wylld sneckdrawinge and pawkerye.
sneck-drawn adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > cunning > [adjective]
warec888
craftyOE
hinderyeapc1000
yepec1000
foxc1175
slya1200
hinderc1200
quaint?c1225
wrenchfulc1225
wiltfula1250
wilyc1330
subtle1340
cautelous138.
sleightful1380
subtile1387
enginousa1393
wilfula1400
wilyc1407
sleighty1412
serpentinec1422
ginnousa1425
wittya1425
semyc1440
artificial?a1475
sleight1495
slapea1500
shrewdc1525
craftly1526
foxy1528
gleering?1533
foxish1535
insidious1545
vafrous1548
wily beguile1550
wilely1556
fine1559
todly1571
practic1585
subdolous1588
captious1590
witryff1598
cautel1606
cunninga1616
versute1616
shiftfula1618
artificious1624
insidiary1625
canny1628
lapwing-like1638
pawky?a1640
tricksome1648
callid1656
versutious1660
artful1663
slim1674
dexterous1701
trickish1705
supple1710
slid1719
vulpinary1721
tricksy1766
trickful1775
sneck-drawing1786
tricky1786
louche1819
sneck-drawn1820
slyish1828
vulpine1830
kokum1839
spidery1843
dodgy1861
ladino1863
carney1881
slinky1951
1820 T. Wilson Pitman's Pay i. liii If aw din't her bottle fill, Aw's then a skint-flint, sneck-drawn dog.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
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