SNEEZING (0. Eng. fneosung, from fneosan, to sneeze, cf. Dutch fniezen, allied to the obsolete neeze, and ultimately to be referred to

See also:

• ROOT (late O.E. rot, adopted from Scand., cf. Norw. and Swed. rot, Dan. rod; the true O.E. word was wyrt, plant, represented in Ger. Wurz or Wurzel; the ultimate root is the same in both words, and is seen in Lat. radix)
• ROOT, ELIHU (1845– )

root seen in Gr. irveiv, to breathe; the initial s is due to association with numerous words, such as snort,

See also:

• SNUFF (from " to snuff, " i.e. to inhale, to draw in through the nose; cf. Dutch snuf, scent, Ger. Schnupfen, a cold, catarrh, and Eng. " snuffle, " " sniff, " &c.)

snuff, snor  e, &c.), a violent expiration of air from the nose and mouth; it is an involuntary reflex respiratory act; caused by irritation of the nerve-endings of the mucous membrane of the nose or by stimulation of the optic nerve by a bright light . The irritation may be due to the swelling of the nasal mucous membrane, which occurs in catching cold, sneezing being often a premonitory or accompanying symptom, or to foreign bodies in the nose, as by inhalation of snuff or other " errhines " or " sternutatories." A venerable and widespread belief survives in the custom of saying " God bless you " when a person sneezes . The Hindus say " live," to which the answer " with you " is given (E . B . Tylor, Primitive Culture, i. rot) . A sneeze was considered a sign or omen from the gods by the Greeks and Romans; it was one of the many common everyday occurrences which if coming at an important moment could he interpreted as presaging the future . There are many allusions to it in classical literature, e.g . Homer, Od. xvii . 561, Plutarch, Themist . 13, Xenophon, Anab. iii . 2 and Catullus, Carm . 45 .

There are references to itin Rabbinical literature, and it has been found in Otaheite,

Florida and the Tonga Islands .