sniffle
pronunciation
How to pronounce sniffle in British English:
UK [ˈsnɪfl]
How to pronounce sniffle in American English:
US [ˈsnɪfəl]
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- Noun:
- the act of breathing heavily through the nose (as when the nose is congested)
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- Verb:
- cry or whine with snuffling
- inhale audibly through the nose
Word Origin
- sniffle (v.)
- 1819, frequentative form of sniff (v.). Related: Sniffled; sniffling. The sniffles "runny nose, head cold" is recorded from 1825. Sniffly (1897) tends to refer to physical symptoms, while sniffy (1858) means "scornful, disdainful and disagreeable." Snuffy "annoyed" is from 1670s.
Example
- 1. I heard him sniffle , was he crying ?
- 2. She tried to sniff contemptuously , but succeeded in producing only a sniffle .
- 3. No wonder men act like such babies when they have a sniffle - women really do have stronger immune systems than men !
- 4. Don 't catch a sniffle .
- 5. I nodded with a sniffle .