snide

English

Etymology

Probably from a dialectal variant of snithe (sharp, cutting, cold).[1] See snithe (adjective).

Alternatively, possibly a metathetic corruption of Middle English snythand (piercing (the heart), cold, biting, literally and figuratively). More at snithe (verb).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /snaɪd/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪd

Adjective

snide (comparative snider, superlative snidest)

  1. Disparaging or derisive in an insinuative way.
    Don't make snide remarks to me.
    • 2010, Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network, spoken by Erica Albright (Rooney Mara):
      You write your snide bullshit from a dark room because that's what the angry do nowadays. I was nice to you, don't torture me for it.
  2. Tricky; deceptive; false; spurious; contemptible.
    • 1890, Illinois State Dairymen's Association, Annual Report (volume 16, page 21)
      Have nothing to do with snide goods; let it be known throughout the world that the farmers and dairymen, yea, and those engaged in other industries in the great State of Illinois, produce only the best of everything in their lines, and we will be the last to feel the effects of over-production.
    • 2002, Sarah Waters, chapter 1, in Fingersmith, London: Virago, →ISBN, part 1, page 19:
      I knew without studying them that the rings and the watch were snide, and the jewel a paste one; but they were damn fine counterfeits.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

snide (countable and uncountable, plural snides)

  1. (countable) An underhanded, tricky person given to sharp practice; a sharper; a cheat.
  2. (uncountable) Counterfeit money.

References

  1. ^ Whitney, The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia, "snide".

Anagrams

Danish

Etymology

From Old Norse sníða, from Proto-Germanic *snīþaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sneyt- (to cut). Replaced by snitte, from Low German snitte, essentially from the same root. Compare Icelandic sníða, Dutch snijden, German schneiden, dialectal English snithe.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈsniˌðə]

Verb

snide (imperative snid, infinitive at snide, present tense snider, past tense sned, perfect tense snidt)

  1. (obsolete, puristic) to carve, especially in wood
    Synonym: snitte

Conjugation

Conjugation of snide
active passive
present snider snides
past sned
infinitive snide snides
imperative snid
participle
present -
past snidt
(auxiliary verb have)
gerund sniden

References

Middle High German

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): (before 13th CE) /ˈs̠niːdə/

Verb

snīde

  1. first-person singular present indicative of snīden
  2. first/third-person singular present subjunctive of snīden

Old English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈsni.de/

Verb

snide

  1. second-person singular preterite indicative of snīþan
  2. singular preterite subjunctive of snīþan

Old High German

Verb

snīde

  1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive of snīdan