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Glite Dictionary
to make a snook

to make a snook

9.9
To put your thumb on your nose and wiggle your fingers to show disrespect
  • idiom
  • Offensive
translation icon : hacer un gesto de desprecio [ofensivo]
  • She couldn't resist making a snook after winning the game, much to everyone's amusement.

Examples

  • Don't make a snook at your teacher!

  • He made a snook at his rival during the match.

  • During the argument, he made a snook at his opponent to show his disdain.

  • The children made a snook behind the teacher's back when she wasn't looking.

  • During the argument, he made a snook at his opponent to show his disdain.

  • She couldn't resist making a snook after winning the game, much to everyone's amusement.

  • The children made a snook behind the teacher's back when she wasn't looking.

Synonyms

to thumb one's nose at
vsto make a snook
  • Informal
8 9.2

To show open disrespect by refusing to follow rules or customs

focuses on the specific thumb-to-nose wiggle as the mocking gesture
to turn up one's nose
vsto make a snook
3 7.5

To show you think something is not good enough

expresses the same contempt by a deliberate physical thumb-and-fingers gesture
to flip the bird
vsto make a snook
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To show anger by holding up the middle finger at someone

uses a playful thumb-and-fingers wiggle rather than the middle finger insult
to give a snook
vsto make a snook
  • Archaic
9.9

To show you do not respect someone by putting your thumb to your nose and wiggling your fingers

is the same mocking action focused specifically on that exact gesture
to cock a snook
vsto make a snook
  • Archaic
9.9

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

is the same derisive act but uses the thumb-and-fingers wiggle specifically
to raise a middle finger
vsto make a snook
  • Offensive
8.3

To show anger or insult someone by lifting the middle finger

expresses contempt instead with the thumb-and-fingers wiggling gesture
to sneap at
vsto make a snook
  • UK
9.9

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

conveys contempt instead by performing the specific thumb-and-fingers gesture

Antonyms

to apologize
  • US
∞ 1.7

To say sorry to someone when you feel you did something wrong

to respect
∞ 1.0

To admire someone for their actions or qualities

How Rude

to get the finger
  • Offensive
9.7
to make a snook
  • Offensive
9.9

Surface Forms

make a snook infinitive
made a snook past
made a snook past participle
making a snook present participle
makes a snook third person singular

Morphology

make + a + snook

The noun 'snook' is not a transparent lexical item and the gesture meaning (thumb-to-nose derision) cannot be derived from 'make' + 'a' + 'snook'; the phrase names a specific, lexicalized rude gesture rather than describing it compositionally. A B1 learner who knows 'make' and the article 'a' would not reliably infer this meaning without prior exposure or cultural knowledge, so the expression is idiomatic and unpredictable.

Etymology

Make a snook comes from a simple rude gesture: you put your thumb on your nose and wiggle your fingers to make fun of someone. That's why it means 'to mock' or 'to show disrespect'.