Obs. [app. an assimilation of chenille to prec., perh. through the dial. form sneel. Cf. SNAILING sb.] = CHENILLE. Also attrib.
1741. Lady Pomfret, Lett. (1805), III. 216. The dress of the nuns here is all white, with a black silk snail-string about their necks.
1744. Mrs. Montagu, Lett. (1906), I. 194. I have brought down a screen to work in snail for the Duchess.
1773. Ann. Reg., 124. I’m compass’d now With worms instead of lovely snails.
