Part 518

Sneaks"by (?), n. A paltry fellow; a sneak. [Obs.] "Such a bashful sneaksby." Barrow.

Sneak"y (?), n. Like a sneak; sneaking.

Sneap (?), v. t. [Cf. Icel. sneypa to dishonor, disgrace, chide, but also E. snip, and snub.] 1. To check; to reprimand; to rebuke; to chide. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

2. To nip; to blast; to blight. [Obs.]

Biron is like an envious, sneaping frost.

Shak.

Sneap, n. A reprimand; a rebuke. [Obs.]

My lord, I will not undergo this sneap without reply.

Shak.

{ Sneath (?), Sneathe (?) }, n. See Snath.

Sneb (?), v. t. [See Snib.] To reprimand; to sneap. [Obs.] "Scold and sneb the good oak." Spenser.

Sneck (?), v. t. [See Snatch.] To fasten by a hatch; to latch, as a door. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]

Sneck up, be silent; shut up; hold your peace. Shak.

Sneck, n. A door latch. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]

Sneck band, a latchstring. Burns. -- Sneck drawer, a latch lifter; a bolt drawer; hence, a sly person; a cozener; a cheat; -- called also sneckdraw. -- Sneck drawing, lifting the latch.

Sneck"et (?), n. A door latch, or sneck. [Prov. Eng.]

Sned (?), v. t. To lop; to snathe. [Prov. Eng.]

{ Sned (?), Sneed (?) }, n. See Snath.

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. -- 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.