sneer : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: sneer	by the DICT Development Group
4 results for sneer
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
sneer n a facial expression of contempt or scorn; the upper lip curls Synonym(s): sneer, leer a contemptuous or scornful remark v express through a scornful smile; "she sneered her contempt" smile contemptuously; "she sneered at her little sister's efforts to play the song on the piano"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Sneer \Sneer\, v. t. 1. To utter with a grimace or contemptuous expression; to utter with a sneer; to say sneeringly; as, to sneer fulsome lies at a person. --Congreve. [bd]A ship of fools,[b8] he sneered. --Tennyson. 2. To treat with sneers; to affect or move by sneers. Nor sneered nor bribed from virtue into shame. --Savage.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Sneer \Sneer\, n. 1. The act of sneering. 2. A smile, grin, or contortion of the face, indicative of contempt; an indirect expression or insinuation of contempt. [b8]Who can refute a sneer?[b8] --Raley.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Sneer \Sneer\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Sneered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Sneering}.] [OE. sneren, Dan. sn[?]rre to snarl or grin (like a dog); cf. Prov. E. sneer to grin, sner to snort, snert to sneer at. See {Snore}, v. i.] 1. To show contempt by turning up the nose, or by a particular facial expression. 2. To inssinuate contempt by a covert expression; to speak derisively. I could be content to be a little sneared at. --Pope. 3. To show mirth awkwardly. [R.] --Tatler. Syn: To scoff; gibe; jeer. Usage: {Sneer}, {Scoff}, {Jeer}. The verb to sneer implies to cast contempt indirectly or by covert expressions. To jeer is stronger, and denotes the use of several sarcastic reflections. To scoff is stronger still, implying the use of insolent mockery and derision. And sneers as learnedly as they, Like females o'er their morning tea. --Swift. Midas, exposed to all their jeers, Had lost his art, and kept his ears. --Swift. The fop, with learning at defiance, Scoffs at the pedant and science. --Gay.