From a derivative of Proto-Germanic*snīkaną(“to crawl, creep”), similar to modern sneak. First attested in late Middle English; from Middle Englishsnyȝe(“creep”); compare Danishsnige(“sneak”).
Verb
sny (third-person singular simple presentsnies, present participlesnying, simple past and past participlesnied)
(obsolete, rare, intransitive) move, proceed
References
“† Sny, v.” listed on page 343 of volume IX, part I (Si–St) of A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles [1st ed., 1919] † Sny,v.Obs. — 1 In 5 snyȝe. [Of obscure origin.] intr. To move, proceed. [¶] a1400–50Alexander 4095 Þan snyȝes þar, out of þat snyth hill.., A burly best.
“†sny, v.” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd ed., 1989]
Etymology 2
First attested in 1674; its etymology is unknown. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Alternative forms
(pronounced with a terminal consonant) snithe, snive
(pronounced [snaɪ]) snie, sny, snye
(pronounced [sniː]) snee
Verb
sny (third-person singular simple presentsnies, present participlesnying, simple past and past participlesnied)
(now dialectal, intransitive) Abound, swarm, teem, be infested, with something.
Translations
References
“Sny, v.” listed on page 343 of volume IX, part I (Si–St) of A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles [1st ed., 1919] Sny (snəi), v. Now dial. Forms: 7 snithe, 9 snive; 7, 9 snie, 8–9 sny, 9 snye; 7, 9 snee. [Of obscure origin.] intr. To abound, swarm, teem, be infested, with something. [¶] 1674RayN.C. Words 44 To Snee or snie, to abound or swarm. He snies with Lice, he swarms with them. 1675V. AlsopAnti-sozzo 503 Certainly never did man so snithe with prejudices against Truth. c1746J. Collier (Tim Bobbin) View Lanc. Dial. Gloss., Snye, to swarm. 1849HowittYear Bk. Country 242/32 The villages in the forest sny with children. 1882Echo 16 Jan. 4/1 The place literally ‘snives’ with rabbits. 1897J. PriorRipple & Flood xix, The watter snies wi’ fish.
“sny, v.” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd ed., 1989]
Etymology 3
First attested in 1711; its etymology is unknown; perhaps from Proto-Germanic*snōwaną, from Proto-Indo-European*sneh₁-(“to wind; twist; braid; plait”). Compare snying and the Danishsno(“to twine”, “to twist”).
Noun
sny (pluralsnies)
(shipbuilding) Upward curving observed in the planks of a wooden ship or boat.
[1711 onward] An upward curve at the edge of a plank.
[circa 1850 onward] An upward curve in the lines of a wooden watercraft from amidships toward its bow and its stern.
References
“Sny, sb.” listed on page 343 of volume IX, part I (Si–St) of A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles [1st ed., 1919] Sny (snəi), sb.Shipbuilding. [Cf. Snyingvbl. sb.] (See quots. 1846 and 1875.) [¶] a.1711W. SutherlandShipbuild. Assist. 54 In working up a round Buttock of a Ship, the lower Edge of the Planks will have a sudden Sny aft. 1846A. YoungNaut. Dict. 288 In shipbuilding, a plank is said to have sny, when its edge has an upward curve. [¶] b.c1850Rudim. Nav. (Weale) 149 The great sny occasioned in full bows..is..to be prevented by introducing steelers. 1875KnightDict. Mech. 2232/1 Sny,..the trend of the lines of a ship upward from amidship toward the bow and the stern.
“sny, n.” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd ed., 1989]
Etymology 4
First attested with this spelling in 1893; see snye.
Noun
sny (pluralsnies)
(archaic) A small channel of water.
1893, Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer Abroad, Tom Sawyer, Detective and Other Stories (1896), page unknown
“Well, Mars Tom, my idea is like dis. It ain’t no use, we can’t kill dem po’ strangers dat ain’t doin’ us no harm, till we’ve had practice — I knows it perfectly well, Mars Tom — ‛deed I knows it perfectly well. But ef we takes a’ ax or two, jist you en me en Huck, en slips acrost de river to-night arter de moon’s gone down, en kills dat sick fam’ly dat’s over on the Sny, en burns dey house down, en —”
References
“snye” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd ed., 1989]
Anagrams
NYS, syn, syn-
Czech
Pronunciation
IPA(key): [ˈsnɪ]
Noun
sny
nominative/accusative/vocative/instrumental plural of sen