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sneer /sn I ə ^r / (sneers , sneering , sneered ) VERB If you sneer at someone or something, you express your contempt for them by the expression on your face or by what you say. □ [V + at ] There is too great a readiness to sneer at anything the Opposition does. □ [V with quote] 'Hypocrite,' he sneered. [Also V that] ● N‑COUNT Sneer is also a noun. □  Canete's mouth twisted in a contemptuous sneer.

sneer|ing|ly /sn I ə r I ŋli/ ADV To refer sneeringly to someone or something means to refer to them in a way that shows your contempt for them. [WRITTEN ] □  They were sneeringly dismissive.

sneeze /sniː z/ (sneezes , sneezing , sneezed )

1 VERB When you sneeze , you suddenly take in your breath and then blow it down your nose noisily without being able to stop yourself, for example because you have a cold. □ [V ] What exactly happens when we sneeze? ● N‑COUNT Sneeze is also a noun. □  Coughs and sneezes spread infections.

2 PHRASE If you say that something is not to be sneezed at , you mean that it is worth having. [INFORMAL ] □  The money's not to be sneezed at.

snick|er /sn I kə ^r / (snickers , snickering , snickered ) VERB If you snicker , you laugh quietly in a disrespectful way, for example at something rude or embarrassing. □ [V + at ] We all snickered at Mrs. Swenson. [Also V ] ● N‑COUNT Snicker is also a noun. □  …a chorus of jeers and snickers.

snide /sna I d/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A snide comment or remark is one which criticizes someone in an unkind and often indirect way. □  He made a snide comment about her weight.

sniff /sn I f/ (sniffs , sniffing , sniffed )

1 VERB When you sniff , you breathe in air through your nose hard enough to make a sound, for example when you are trying not to cry, or in order to show disapproval. □ [V ] She wiped her face and sniffed loudly. □ [V ] Then he sniffed. There was a smell of burning. □ [V n with adv] He sniffed back the tears. ● N‑COUNT Sniff is also a noun. □  At last the sobs ceased, to be replaced by sniffs.

2 VERB If you sniff something or sniff at it, you smell it by sniffing. □ [V n] Suddenly, he stopped and sniffed the air. □ [V + at ] She sniffed at it suspiciously.

3 VERB You can use sniff to indicate that someone says something in a way that shows their disapproval or contempt. □ [V with quote] 'Tourists!' she sniffed.

4 VERB [usu passive] If you say that something is not to be sniffed at , you think it is very good or worth having. If someone sniffs at something, they do not think it is good enough, or they express their contempt for it. □ [be V -ed + at ] The salary was not to be sniffed at either. □ [V + at ] Foreign Office sources sniffed at reports that British troops might be sent.

5 VERB If someone sniffs a substance such as glue, they deliberately breathe in the substance or the gases from it as a drug. □ [V n] He felt light-headed, as if he'd sniffed glue. ●  sniff|er (sniffers ) N‑COUNT □  …teenage glue sniffers.

6 N‑SING If you get a sniff of something, you learn or guess that it might be happening or might be near. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] You know what they'll be like if they get a sniff of a murder investigation. □  Have the Press got a sniff yet? □ [+ of ] Then, at the first sniff of danger, he was back at his post.