snivel
snivel — verb
- snivelpresent simple I / you / we / they
- snivelshe / she / it
- snivelledpast simple
- sniveledpast simple
- snivelling-ing form
- sniveling-ing form
1. to complain or cry in a weak, irritating way that makes other people lose patien
to complain or cry in a weak, irritating way that makes other people lose patience rather than feel sympathy.
After losing the game, Mateo sniveled to his mother instead of shaking hands.
snivel + to + person
The manager got tired of staff who sniveled about every small change to the schedule.
snivel + about + noun phrase
Lien sniveled that the group project was too hard, but her team managed fine.
Stop sniveling and tell me exactly what went wrong with the delivery.
- accept
to deal with a situation without complaint
文法句型
snivel + about + noun phrase (the reason for complaining)
snivel + to + person + about + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense carries a strong negative judgment — the speaker finds the crying or complaining unnecessary and excessive. Frequently used in imperatives ("Stop sniveling!") or to dismiss someone's complaint.
常見錯誤
2. to breathe in air noisily through the nose, making a wet sound because of mucus
to breathe in air noisily through the nose, making a wet sound because of mucus or tears.
Arjun sniveled loudly during the sad movie, reaching for a tissue every few minutes.
sniveled + adverb (loudly)
The little boy sat on the bench sniveling with a red nose and wet cheeks.
As soon as winter arrived, Zola started sniveling every morning on the walk to school.
I could hear someone sniveling in the seat behind me during the whole ceremony.
文法句型
snivel (no object)
用法筆記
Describes the physical sound of sniffing rather than an emotional state. Often associated with colds, allergies, or the aftermath of crying. Less judgmental than sense 1, though it can still carry a mildly dismissive tone in context.
snivel — noun
1. a minor illness that affects the nose, causing it to feel blocked or to produce
a minor illness that affects the nose, causing it to feel blocked or to produce liquid mucus.
Rohan called in sick because he had a bad snivel and could not stop coughing.
have a snivel
Hot tea with honey helps Quinn get rid of a snivel.
The children passed a snivel around the classroom until half of them were coughing.
Mateo stayed in bed with a snivel and missed the school trip to the zoo.
用法筆記
Very informal and old-fashioned in British English. Most modern speakers would say 'a cold' or 'a head cold' instead. Common in older or regional usage.
常見錯誤
2. an act or instance of complaining or crying in a weak, annoying way that seeks s
an act or instance of complaining or crying in a weak, annoying way that seeks sympathy.
Asher's constant snivel about homework made the teacher assign extra work to the class.
constant snivel + about
The coach had no patience for the player's snivel and told him to try harder.
Kian listened to Yael's snivel for a few minutes and then offered a practical solution.
The director ignored the actor's snivel about the cold weather on set.
- stoicism
the quality of enduring difficulty without complaint
用法筆記
Used with a possessive ('his snivel', 'the child's snivel') or an adjective ('constant snivel'). Often paired with 'about' to specify the subject of the complaint.