"snubbing your nose"

[James Smith]

>Fox News reporter, just now: > > > > "The judge said
that Hilton essentially was > snubbing her nose at >
>the judicial system."

--- James Harbeck <jharbeck at SYMPATICO.CA> wrote:

> Are you saying "snub one's nose" as a variation on
> "thumb one's nose"
> has been around for more than half a century,

I'm saying I've been familiar with the phrase "snub
one's nose at" for over a half century and am somewhat
astonished to find it is not more widely known!  I'm
fully familiar with the phrase "thumb one's nose" and
the accompanying gesture.  Whether "snubbing one's
nose at" is a variation or has a completely different
origin, I have no idea.  Personally, I've never
associated "snubbing" with the open-hand wave from the
end of the nose.



...or are
> you referring to
> "snub one's nose" as in rubbing it, dabbing it, et
Ø       cetera?

This could be an explanation; picture rubbing your
snotty snoot “at” someone, and it becomes a very
derisive gesture.  Why are fistfighters
stereotypically portrayed as constantly putting their
thumbs to their nose ... nervous habit, to clear their
breathing passageway, mimicry, to challenge? ... any
or all of the above?



James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
South SLC, UT                  |it is that we will be sued
jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
                               |or slowly and cautiously.

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