snivel

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to cry or complain in a weak, tearful way while sniffing

   He began to snivel about the punishment instead of admitting what he had done.

2. 2
   verb

   to sniff repeatedly because mucus is running from the nose

   The child continued to snivel through the first days of the cold.

3. 3
   noun

   a weak, tearful complaint or a congested sniff

   She answered his long snivel with an impatient shake of her head.

From Middle English snivelen, ultimately related to Old English words for nasal mucus and to the Germanic family behind sniff and snout. The physical sense of drawing mucus through the nose gave rise to the disparaging sense of crying or complaining weakly.

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