different between snub vs taunt

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sn?b/
• Rhymes: -?b

Etymology 1

From Middle English snubben (also snibben), from Old Norse snubba (“to curse, chide, snub, scold, reprove”). Cognate with Danish snibbe, dialectal Swedish snebba.

Adjective

snub (comparative more snub, superlative most snub)

1. Conspicuously short.

2. Of the nose: flat and broad, with the end slightly turned up.

   • If I close my eyes I can see Marie today as I saw her then. Round, rosy face, snub nose, dark hair piled up in a chignon.

3. (mathematics, of a polyhedron) Derived from a simpler polyhedron by the addition of extra triangular faces.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

snub (plural snubs)

1. A deliberate affront or slight.

   I hope the people we couldn't invite don't see it as a snub.
2. A sudden checking of a cable or rope.
3. (obsolete) A knot; a protuberance; a snag.

Derived terms

• snubbing post
• snub line

Translations

Verb

snub (third-person singular simple present snubs, present participle snubbing, simple past and past participle snubbed)

1. (transitive) To slight, ignore or behave coldly toward someone.
   • 1922, Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit

     For a long time he lived in the toy cupboard or on the nursery floor, and no one thought very much about him. He was naturally shy, and being only made of velveteen, some of the more expensive toys quite snubbed him.

2. (transitive) To turn down; to dismiss.

   He snubbed my offer of help.

3. (transitive) To check; to reprimand.
4. (transitive) To stub out (a cigarette etc).
5. (transitive) To halt the movement of a rope etc by turning it about a cleat or bollard etc; to secure a vessel in this manner.
6. (transitive) To clip or break off the end of; to check or stunt the growth of.

Synonyms

• (to slight or ignore): give someone the cold shoulder, turn the cold shoulder on someone, cut someone cold, cut someone dead

Translations

Etymology 2

Compare Dutch snuiven (“to snort, to pant”), German schnauben, German dialect schnupfen (“to sob”), and English snuff (transitive verb).

Verb

snub (third-person singular simple present snubs, present participle snubbing, simple past and past participle snubbed)

1. To sob with convulsions.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Bailey to this entry?)

Anagrams

• Buns, buns, nubs

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /t??nt/, enPR: tônt
• (US) IPA^(key): /t?nt/, enPR: tônt
  • (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /t?nt/, enPR: tänt
• Rhymes: -??nt, -??nt

Etymology 1

Middle French tanter (“to tempt, try, provoke”), variant of Old French tempter (“to try”). Doublet of tempt.

Verb

taunt (third-person singular simple present taunts, present participle taunting, simple past and past participle taunted)

1. to make fun of (someone); to goad (a person) into responding, often in an aggressive manner.

Translations

Noun

taunt (plural taunts)

1. A scornful or mocking remark; a jeer or mockery

Translations

Etymology 2

Compare Old French tant (“so great”), French tant (“so much”), Latin tantus (“of such size, so great, so much”). See ataunt.

Adjective

taunt (comparative more taunt, superlative most taunt)

1. (obsolete, nautical) Very high or tall.

   a ship with taunt masts

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Totten to this entry?)

References

• taunt at OneLook Dictionary Search
• taunt in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.