† 1. intr. Of the nose: To turn up, as in sniffing.
a. 1366[?]. Chaucer, Rom. Rose, 157. Hir nose snorted vp for tene, Ful hidous was she forto sene.
† 2. To snore; to sleep heavily or sluggishly. Obs.
Common from c. 1590–1650 in this and the next group.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Reeve’s T., 243. This Millere hath so wisely bibbed Ale That as an hors he snorteth in his sleepe. Ibid., Man of Law’s T., 692. He slepeth and he snorteth in his gyse.
1535. Coverdale, Isaiah lvi. 10. They are slepery: slogish are they, & lie snortinge.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 96. All winter long he snorteth, and is as he were deade.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. i. 809. Their Watch within their Corps de Garde About the fire securely snorted hard.
1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., I. i. A 4 b. Strotzo, to bed: snort in securest sleepe.
1648. Gage, West Ind., 141. Thus do they soundly sleep, and loudly snort after a dayes work.
a. 1680. Charnock, Attrib. God (1834), II. 534. Some rise out of their … beds … at the first,… others lie snorting longer.
fig. 1653. Jer. Taylor, Serm. for Year, 208. The spark of Divinity that dwels within is quenched, and the mind snorts, dead with sleep.
† b. In various fig. contexts. Obs.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 25. Truly you sleape so soundly, that you snorte agayne.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. D iij b. Many a one snorteth in palpable ignorance all daies of their life.
1597. J. King, On Jonas (1618), 14. Haue we not read … that although themselues slept and snorted in pleasure, yet their damnation slept not?
1630. D. Dyke, Myst. Self-Deceiving, 353. Dauid lay snorting in his owne sin.
1642. Vind. of the King, 2. The same malignant party … hath been supinely snorting.
† c. refl. To convert (oneself) into something by idleness. Obs.
1650. J. Hall, Parad., 15. The King employed the people that way, who else might have sunke into Luxury, or snorted themselves into implacable enemies.
3. Of a horse: To make a characteristic loud or harsh sound by violently driving the breath through the nostrils, esp. when excited or frightened. Also said of other animals.
c. 1386. [see 2 above].
1530. Palsgr., 724/1. This jade snorteth as were a courser of ten pounde.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., III. (1586), 116. If farr away There happen a noise,… he snuffes, and snortes at the same.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, XX. xxix. He fomes, snorts, neies, and fire and smoake breaths out.
1601. Hakluyt, Galvano’s Disc. World, 85. Certaine fishes which make a noyse like vnto hogs, and will snort.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 392. The Stallion … snorts and trembles for the distant Mare.
1735. Somerville, Chase, II. 162. Snorting they breathe, their shining Hoofs scarce print The grass unbruis’d.
1786. trans. Beckford’s Vathek (1883), 70. The horses snorted, stamped the ground,… and plunged about without mercy.
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., xxiii. His horse … suddenly interrupted its steady and composed pace, snorted, reared, and … refused to proceed.
1825. T. Hook, Sayings, Ser. II. Man of Many Fr., II. 41. The fat poodle snorting and wagging his little lionized tail.
1871. C. Gibbon, Lack of Gold, xxi. The horses were steaming and snorting with exertion.
fig. 1891. Baring-Gould, In Troubadour-Land, xviii. 252. The Crusaders were snorting for plunder and murder.
b. To rush past with snorts.
1899. F. V. Kirby, Sport E. C. Africa, xi. 122. I obtained a glimpse of his dark grey hide as he [a rhinoceros] snorted past.
4. transf. Of things, esp. in later use of a railway engine: To make or emit a sound resembling or suggestive of a snort.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 59. The riuer … Through the breach owt spurging…. It brayeth in snorting.
1822. Shelley, Faust, II. 50. The giant-snouted crags,… How they snort, and how they blow!
1879. Sala, Paris Herself Again (1880), II. xxi. 320. The little circular railway puffed and screamed and snorted.
1902. ‘Linesman,’ Words by Eyewitness, 196. The lyddite shells, snorting slowly through the air like a goods train up a gradient.
5. Of persons: a. To express contempt or indignation by a snorting sound.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xlvi. Duncan … snorted thrice, and prepared himself to be in a passion. Ibid. (1827), Two Drovers, i. Ye needna snort, none of you Highlanders.
1889. Gretton, Memory’s Harkback, 300. Upon this conclusion, his reverence snorted, and turned upon his heel in dudgeon.
b. dial. and U.S. To laugh loudly or roughly.
1825. Brockett, N. C. Gloss., Snort, to laugh outright.
1834. [Seba Smith], Lett. J. Downing (1835), 27. We all snorted and snicker’d.
1835. Haliburton, Clockm., Ser. I. xix. I thought I should have snorted right out two or three times.
6. trans. a. To utter with a snort; to give out, drive away, etc., by snorting († or snoring).
a. 1634. Randolph, Muses Looking-gl., IV. iii. Your pittifull Worship snorting out pardons To the despairing sinner.
1796. Burke, Reg. Peace, I. (1892), 27. The … tyrant Carnot shall have snorted away the fumes of the indigested blood of his Sovereign.
1840. Thackeray, Barber Cox, April. ‘Dat is gut! haw! haw!’ snorted the Baron.
1900. Pollok & Thom, Sports Burma, 376. He [sc. a gaur] snorted defiance, challenging us, as it were, to approach nearer.
b. To eject or discharge through the nostrils with a snort; to spout out in this way.
1818. Keats, Endymion, II. 885. Fish-semblances, of green and azure hue, Ready to snort their streams.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exped., iii. (1856), 28. Great … wallowing sea-hogs, snorting out fountains of white spray.
1868. Browning, Ring & Bk., I. 901. The old Triton … A spray of sparkles snorted from his conch High over the caritellas.
c. To clear (the nose) with a snort.
1835. Politeness & Gd.-breeding, 104. Never … snivel and snort a wet nose.
