[Imitative: cf. SNICKER v.]
1. intr. To laugh in a half-suppressed, light or covert manner; to snicker.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), To Snicker or Snigger.
1728. Morgan, Hist. Algiers, I. 188. This, and other such Jokes, set most of the Assembly a sniggering.
1771. Mme. D’Arblay, Early Diary, July. Mr. Featherstone enjoyed it prodigiously, sniggering and joking.
1822. Scott, Nigel, iii. So they let me go, and rode a’ sniggering, laughing, and rounding in ilk ither’s lugs.
1867. Carlyle, Reminis. (1881), II. 15. He never laughed loud, and indeed oftener sniggered slightly than laughed in any way.
1887. Jessopp, Arcady, iv. 112. They snigger and grin sometimes, and then turn away as if ashamed of themselves.
fig. 1894. Mrs. Oliphant, Hist. Sk. Q. Anne, vii. 364. The younger world … still sniggers in its sleeve [etc.].
b. Const. at or over.
1847. Alb. Smith, Chr. Tadpole, xxxiii. Fools, sniggering at you because they won’t understand what you mean.
1859. Thackeray, Virginians, lxxviii. She … sniggered over the faults of the self-styled righteous with uncommon satisfaction.
1887. Jefferies, Amaryllis, xiv. He kind of sniggered in a foolish way at Amaryllis.
1899. Q. Rev., April, 487. Norwich has ceased to snigger over the youthful indiscretions of George Borrow.
c. dial. (See quots.)
1823. E. Moor, Suffolk Words, Snigger, Sniggeren. Exulting, boasting, jeering.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Snigger, to sneer ill-naturedly.
2. trans. To utter with a snigger.
1857. Kingsley, Two Y. Ago, I. 96. ‘Don’t you wish yours was, Doctor?’ ‘Eh, eh, eh,’ sniggered Heale.
1905. P. White, Patient Man, xiv. ‘Then he has the oddest way of keeping it,’ sniggered Mrs. Archie.
