sneer, leer
(noun) a facial expression of contempt or scorn; the upper lip curls
sneer
(noun) a contemptuous or scornful remark
sneer
(verb) smile contemptuously; “she sneered at her little sister’s efforts to play the song on the piano”
sneer
(verb) express through a scornful smile; “she sneered her contempt”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
sneer (third-person singular simple present sneers, present participle sneering, simple past and past participle sneered)
(intransitive) To raise a corner of the upper lip slightly, especially in scorn
(transitive) To utter with a grimace or contemptuous expression; to say sneeringly.
sneer (plural sneers)
A facial expression where one slightly raises one corner of the upper lip, generally indicating scorn.
A display of contempt; scorn.
• Neers, Resen, ernes, neers, reens
Source: Wiktionary
Sneer, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sneered; p. pr. & vb. n. Sneering.] Etym: [OE. sneren, Dan. sn 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. The fop, with learning at defiance, Scoffs at the pedant and science. Gay.
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. "A ship of fools," he sneered. Tennyson.
2. To treat with sneers; to affect or move by sneers. Nor sneered nor bribed from virtue into shame. Savage.
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. "Who can refute a sneer" Raley.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
27 May 2025
(noun) the property of being directional or maintaining a direction; “the directionality of written English is from left to right”
The Boston Tea Party helped popularize coffee in America. The hefty tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773 resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. In the lead up to the Revolutionary War, it became patriotic to sip java instead of tea. The Civil War made the drink more pervasive. Coffee helped energize tired troops, and drinking it became an expression of freedom.
