snirt

present singular third person snirts · participle present snirting · participle past snirted · past snirted

1. ScotlandTo give a suppressed laugh or sharp intake of breath.

   "He grins, and snirts, and thraws ye ken —

   1833, Anonymous, writing in The Dublin University Magazine: A Literary and Political Journal, page 575, "Willie and Pate"

   2 more examples

   "But ye see there was a great deal of blushing and snirting, and bits of made coughs, as if to keep down a thorough guffau."

   1837, James Hogg, “Katie Cheyne”, in Tales and Sketches, page 172

   The Whaup grew very red in the face, and ‘snirted’ with laughter."

   1871, William Black, A daughter of Heth: A novel, page 160

plural snirts

1. ScotlandA suppressed laugh; a sharp intake of breath.

1. CanadaUSuncountableSnow that is dirty, often seen by the side of roads and parking lots that have been plowed.

   ‘Snirt’ is a thing of the spring.

   1997, William S. Burroughs, Last Words, Grove Press, →ISBN, page 73

   3 more examples

   We then have what we call ‘snirt’ storms.

   1975, United States House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Related Agencies, Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations for 1976, page 175

   Snirt or a mixture of snow and dirt is the term popularly applied to the windrows of dirt along the roads during a Minnesota winter.

   1985, United States House Committee on Agriculture, General Farm Bill of 1985: Hearings Before the Committee on Agriculture, page 924

   […] it wasn't a hard winter. Only a couple of blizzards and snirt and snuss storms.

   2004, Dean Norman, Studio Cards: Funny Greeting Cards and People Who Created Them, Trafford Publishing,, →ISBN, page 131