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Glite Dictionary
to give a snook

to give a snook

9.9
To show you do not respect someone by putting your thumb to your nose and wiggling your fingers
  • idiom
  • Archaic
translation icon : hacer un desprecio
  • He gave a snook at the referee after the bad call.

Examples

  • The student gave a snook to the teacher when told to sit down.

  • Some children would give a snook to authority figures when they felt rebellious.

  • After losing the match, he gave a snook at the opposing team's fans.

  • Don't give a snook to your teacher!

  • After losing the match, he gave a snook at the opposing team's fans to show his disdain.

  • Some children would give a snook to authority figures, expressing their rebellious attitude.

  • The student gave a snook to the teacher when he was scolded for talking in class.

Synonyms

to sneer
vsto give a snook
39 5.6

Smile or speak to show you do not respect someone

is often a physical rude gesture rather than a scornful look or tone
to thumb one's nose at
vsto give a snook
  • Informal
8 9.2

To show open disrespect by refusing to follow rules or customs

refers to the same contemptful act often expressed by that gesture
to give (someone) lip
vsto give a snook
  • Informal
8 8.4

Talk back to someone in a rude way

is a bodily, visible insult rather than a verbal, cheeky reply
to snigger
vsto give a snook
  • UK
4 6.8

To laugh quietly to make fun of someone

is a clear, bold gesture meant to show open contempt rather than a quiet laugh
to turn up one's nose
vsto give a snook
3 7.5

To show you think something is not good enough

is more about a bold, physical sign of contempt than a mere attitude
to flip the bird
vsto give a snook
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To show anger by holding up the middle finger at someone

means showing contempt but with a different obscene hand signal
to make a snook
vsto give a snook
  • Offensive
9.9

To put your thumb on your nose and wiggle your fingers to show disrespect

has identical meaning but uses a different phrase for the same gesture
to cock a snook
vsto give a snook
  • Archaic
9.9

Show openly that you do not respect someone, often by a rude gesture

is the specific name for showing contempt with the classic fingered nose gesture
to raise a middle finger
vsto give a snook
  • Offensive
8.3

To show anger or insult someone by lifting the middle finger

expresses the same contempt but via a different, non-obscene gesture
to sneap at
vsto give a snook
  • UK
9.9

To make fun of someone in a mean way to show you dislike them

is usually a physical gesture rather than a mocking laugh or remark

Antonyms

honor
  • US
∞ 2.2

Respect given to a person for good moral behavior

respect
∞ 1.0

Polite actions or words that show you value someone

How Disrespectful

to humiliate
  • Offensive
414 6.1
to snub
7 6.3
to give a snook
  • Archaic
9.9
to ignore
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

give a snook infinitive
giving a snook present participle
gives a snook third person singular
gave a snook past
given a snook past participle

Morphology

give + a + snook

The overall meaning (a specific rude gesture showing contempt) cannot be derived from the literal parts: 'give' and the article 'a' are fully compositional but 'snook' is an obscure/dialectal lexical item whose gesture sense is lexicalized and not predictable. A B1 learner who knows the simple meanings of 'give' and 'a' would not be able to infer this idiomatic gesture meaning without prior exposure; the construction is language-specific rather than transparently compositional.

Etymology

Give a snook may come from a childish gesture: someone puts their thumb to their nose and wiggles their fingers to make a rude face. So, give a snook means 'to show disrespect'.