Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To check; reprove abruptly; reprimand.
  • To nip; bite; pinch.
  • noun A reprimand; a rebuke; a check; a snub.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun obsolete A reprimand; a rebuke.
  • transitive verb obsolete To check; to reprimand; to rebuke; to chide.
  • transitive verb obsolete To nip; to blast; to blight.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive, dialectal To check; reprove abruptly; reprimand; rebuke; chide.
  • verb transitive, dialectal To nip; bite; pinch; blast; blight.
  • verb transitive, dialectal To thwart; offend.
  • verb colloquial To put someone's nose out of joint; offend.
  • noun obsolete A reprimand; a rebuke.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English snaipen ("to nip, injure, afflict, rebuke, revile, criticize"), from Old Norse snepya ("to outrage, dishonor, disgrace"), from Proto-Germanic *snupanan, *snubanan (“to snap, cut”), of unknown origin. See also snap.

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Examples

Comments

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  • To repress into silence according to NPR's Says You.

    January 18, 2014