sneer
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Related to sneerers: Sneakers
sneer
(snîr)n.
1. A scornful facial expression characterized by a slight raising of one corner of the upper lip.
2. A scornful tone or statement.
v. sneered, sneer·ing, sneers
v.intr.
1. To assume a scornful or derisive facial expression.
2. To speak in a scornful or derisive manner.
v.tr.
To utter with a sneer or in a sneering manner.
[From Middle English sneren, to mock, alteration of Old English fnǣran, to breathe heavily; see pneu- in Indo-European roots.]
sneer′er n.
sneer′ful, sneer′y adj.
sneer′ing·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
sneer
(snɪə)n
1. a facial expression of scorn or contempt, typically with the upper lip curled
2. a scornful or contemptuous remark or utterance
vb
3. (intr) to assume a facial expression of scorn or contempt
4. to say or utter (something) in a scornful or contemptuous manner
[C16: perhaps from Low Dutch; compare North Frisian sneere contempt]
ˈsneerer n
ˈsneerful adj
ˈsneering adj, n
ˈsneeringly adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
sneer
(snɪər)v.i.
1. to smile, laugh, or contort the face in a manner that shows scorn or contempt: sneering at someone's pretensions.
2. to speak or write in a manner expressive of derision or scorn.
v.t. 3. to utter or say in a sneering manner.
n. 4. a look of contempt.
5. a derisive or scornful utterance.
6. an act of sneering.
[1545–55; orig., to snort; compare Frisian (North) sneere snarl1]
sneer′er, n.
syn: See scoff1.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Sneer
of butlers—Lipton, 1970.Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
sneer
Past participle: sneered
Gerund: sneering
| Imperative |
|---|
| sneer |
| sneer |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  sneer - a facial expression of contempt or scorn; the upper lip curls |
| 2. | sneer - a contemptuous or scornful remark | |
| Verb | 1. | sneer - express through a scornful smile; "she sneered her contempt" sneer - smile contemptuously; "she sneered at her little sister's efforts to play the song on the piano" |
| 2. | sneer - smile contemptuously; "she sneered at her little sister's efforts to play the song on the piano" smile - change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure sneer - express through a scornful smile; "she sneered her contempt" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
sneer
verb
1. scorn, mock, ridicule, laugh, jeer, disdain, scoff, deride, look down on, snigger, sniff at, gibe, hold in contempt, hold up to ridicule, turn up your nose (informal) There is too great a readiness to sneer at anything they do.
2. say contemptuously, snigger `I wonder what you people do with your lives,' he sneered.
noun
1. scorn, ridicule, mockery, derision, jeer, disdain, snigger, gibe, snidery Best-selling authors may have to face the sneers of the literati.
2. contemptuous smile, snigger, curl of the lip His mouth twisted in a contemptous sneer.
Quotations
"Who can refute a sneer?" [Revd. William Paley Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy]
"Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer,"
"And, without sneering, teach the rest to sneer" [Alexander Pope Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot]
"Who can refute a sneer?" [Revd. William Paley Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy]
"Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer,"
"And, without sneering, teach the rest to sneer" [Alexander Pope Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot]
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
sneer
nounverbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
sneer
[snɪəʳ]A. N (= expression) → cara f de desprecio; (= remark) → comentario m desdeñoso
he said with a sneer → dijo con desprecio
the book is full of sneers about → el libro se mofa constantemente de ...
he said with a sneer → dijo con desprecio
the book is full of sneers about → el libro se mofa constantemente de ...
B. VI → hablar con desprecio, hablar con desdén
to sneer at sb/sth (= laugh) → mofarse de algn/algo; (= scorn) → despreciar a algn/algo
to sneer at sb/sth (= laugh) → mofarse de algn/algo; (= scorn) → despreciar a algn/algo
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
sneer
(sniə) verb1. to raise the top lip at one side in a kind of smile that expresses scorn. What are you sneering for? sonreír burlonamente/con socarronería
2. (with at) to show contempt for (something) by such an expression or by scornful words etc. He sneered at our attempts to improve the situation.desdeñar, despreciar, burlarse
3. to say with contempt. `You haven't a chance of getting that job,' he sneered. decir con desprecio
noun a scornful expression, words etc that express contempt. sonrisa burlona/socarrona/sarcástica
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.