Skip to content

Table of Contents

The word for today is…

snivel (verb, noun):

verb
1: to run at the nose
2: to snuff mucus up the nose audibly : snuffle
3: to cry or whine with snuffling
4: to speak or act in a whining, sniffling, tearful, or weakly emotional manner

noun
1 dialect : head cold
2: an act of sniveling

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : There's never been anything pretty about sniveling. Snivel, which originally meant simply "to have a runny nose," has an Old English ancestor whose probable form was snyflan. Its lineage includes some other charming words of yore: an Old English word for mucus, snofl; the Middle Dutch word for a head cold, snof; the Old Norse word for snout, which is snoppa; and nan, a Greek verb meaning "to flow." Nowadays, we mostly use snivel as we have since the 1600s: when self-pitying whining is afoot, whether or not such sniveling is accompanied by unchecked nasal flow.

If you enjoyed this Good Oil word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.

Latest

NZ Fuel Crisis: How National And Labour BOTH Failed Us

NZ Fuel Crisis: How National And Labour BOTH Failed Us

If you have a great Youtube, Rumble or Vimeo video to share send it to videos@goodoil.news If you're loving this trusty, straight-up news on Kiwi politics and beyond, why not become a paid member, eh? Unlock exclusive yarns, podcasts, vids, and in-depth analysis—your support keeps

Members Public
Good Oil Backchat

Good Oil Backchat

Please read our rules before you start commenting on The Good Oil to avoid a temporary or permanent ban.

Members Public