Snort, verb. (colloquial).—To laugh in derision.
1835. Haliburton, Clockmaker, 1. xix. I thought I should have snorted right out two or three times . . . to hear the critter let her clapper run that fashion.
1865. Major Downing's Letters, 15. We all snorted and snickered.
1885. Century Mag., xli. 340. 'Such airs!' he snorted.
Snorter, subs. (American).—1.
Anything large or exceptional:
spec. a gale of wind, a heavy
snow-storm: cf. sneezer : see
Whopper.
18[?]. Cape Ann Fisherman [Bartlett]. The skipper said . . . we must make all snug, fur we're going to have a snorter.
1870. Thorpe, Backwoods, 183. 'I'm a roaring earthquake in a fight,' sung out one of the . . . fellows, 'a real snorter of the universe.'
1891. Marriott-Watson, Web of Spider, xv. 'What's to become of me, then?' asked Ida. 'Well,' he said, 'that's rather a snorter. I dunno' where we could put you.'
1897. Kennard, Girl in Brown Habit, i. Some of these fences are regular downright snorters.
2. (common).—The nose: see Conk.
Snot, subs. (vulgar).—1. Nasal
mucus. Hence 2 (common) = a
contemptible wretch: also (2)
snotter and snottie = (naval) a
midshipman. Whence as verb. =
(1) to blow the nose, and (2) to
act scurvily; snottery = filth;
snotty = running at the nose,
mean, dirty; snotty-nosed =
contemptible, filthy; snot-gall
(or snotter) = the nose; snot-rag
(snottinger, or snotter)
= (1) a pocket-handkerchief; and
(2) the nose (also snot- and
snottle-box): snotter also =
a handkerchief thief; snotter-hauling
= sneaking of wipes
(q.v.); snotted = reprimanded:
Fr. mouché.
1598. Marston, Scourge of Villanie, ii. To purge the snottery of our slimy time.
1601. Jonson, Poetaster, v. 1. Teach thy incubus to poetize, And throw abroad thy spurious snotteries.
d.1633. G. Herbert, Jacula Prudentum. Better a snotty child than his nose wiped off.
1685. Poor Robin's Alman. Three kisses, four Busses, and five licks under the Snot-gall.
1692. Wood, Athenæ Oxon, ii. The continual importunities of his covetous and snotty wife.
1725. Bailey, Erasmus, 11. 32. Linen rags . . . retaining still the Marks of the Snot.
1823. Bee, Dict. Turf, s.v. Wipe—a pocket-handkerchief . . . When this kind of article is in the last stages of consumption they scoff at it, as a snotter.
Snout, subs. (colloquial).—1. The
nose: in contempt. 2. = the
face: also snout-piece (Grose);
snout-fair = pretty, comely
(Harman and Grose).
c.1610. Masque of Twelve Months. Lady Pigswiggin the only snout-faire of the fairies.
1621. Burton, Anat. Melan., III. iii. iv. 2. A modest Virgin, well-conditioned, to such a fair snout-piece, is much to be preferred. Ibid., III. iii. i. 2. He that marries a wife that is snowy fair [? snout fair] alone, let him . . .
1653. Brome, Court Beggar, ii. 1 Shee be snout-faire, and has some wit.
1663. Butler, Hudibras, 1. iii. 357. Her subtle snout Did quickly wind his meaning out.
2. (prison).—Tobacco: see Wright and Trafficking; also (itinerants') a cigar.
Snow, subs. (Old Cant).—Linen:
spec. linen hung out to dry:
also snowy. Hence snow-gatherer
(or dropper) = a
hedge-thief: also snow-dropping
(Grose and Vaux).
