cock a snook at someone

cock a snook at someone
cock a snook at someone
to show or express defiance or scorn at someone. •

He cocked a snook at the traffic cop and tore up the ticket.

The boy cocked a snook at the park attendant and walked on the grass.


Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • cock a snook at — phrase to deliberately do something that insults someone or that shows a lack of respect for someone or something He was cocking a snook at politicians’ lifestyles. Thesaurus: to insult or offend someonesynonym Main entry: snook * * * cock a… …   Useful english dictionary

  • cock a snook at — to deliberately do something that insults someone or that shows a lack of respect for someone or something He was cocking a snook at politicians lifestyles …   English dictionary

  • cock a snook — British, old fashioned to show that you do not respect something or someone by doing something that insults them. In the end he refused to accept his award, cocking a snook at the film industry for which he had such contempt. (usually + at) …   New idioms dictionary

  • cock — [[t]kɒ̱k[/t]] cocks, cocking, cocked 1) N COUNT A cock is an adult male chicken. [mainly BRIT] The cock was announcing the start of a new day. Syn: rooster (in AM, use rooster) 2) N COUNT: oft N n You refer to a male bird, especially a male game… …   English dictionary

  • snook — [[t]snu͟ːk[/t]] PHRASE: V inflects If you cock a snook at someone in authority or at an organization, you do something that they cannot punish you for, but which insults them or expresses your contempt. [mainly BRIT, JOURNALISM] A majority of… …   English dictionary

  • snook — [ snuk, snuk ] noun BRITISH MAINLY JOURNALISM cock a snook at to deliberately do something that insults someone or shows a lack of respect for someone or something …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • snook — ► NOUN (in phrase cock a snook) informal, chiefly Brit. 1) place one s hand so that the thumb touches one s nose and the fingers are spread out, as a gesture of contempt. 2) openly show contempt or a lack of respect for someone or something.… …   English terms dictionary

  • cock — 1 noun 1 CHICKEN (C) especially BrE an adult male chicken; rooster AmE see also: cock a doodle doo 2 SEX ORGAN (C) taboo a penis 3 cock and bull story a story or excuse that is silly and unlikely but is told as if it were true: She gave me some… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • cock — cock1 [kɔk US ka:k] n ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(chicken)¦ 2¦(male bird)¦ 3¦(sex organ)¦ 4 cock and bull story 5¦(object that controls flow)¦ 6¦(man)¦ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ [: Old English; Origin: cocc male chicken ] 1.) …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • snook — snook1 [snu:k] noun (in phr. cock a snook) informal, chiefly Brit. place one s hand so that the thumb touches one s nose and the fingers are spread out, in order to express contempt. ↘openly show contempt or a lack of respect for someone or… …   English new terms dictionary

  • V sign — For the V sign of dermatomyositis, see Shawl sign. An investigator flashes victory signs upon the 2006 arrival of material gathered by the Stardust spacecraft at the Johnson Space Center in Texas. The V sign is a hand gesture in which the index… …   Wikipedia

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