different between sigh vs snort

English

Etymology

From Middle English sihen, from Old English s?can. (The OE infinitive would have given ME forms with /t?/ or /k/, which are both attested, so the /h/ form is probably a back-formation from the preterite sihte.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sa?/
• Rhymes: -a?
• Homophones: sie, sai, psi, xi, scye, Si, Sy, Cy

Verb

sigh (third-person singular simple present sighs, present participle sighing, simple past and past participle sighed)

1. (intransitive) To inhale a larger quantity of air than usual, and immediately expel it; to make a deep single audible respiration, especially as the result or involuntary expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, frustration, or the like.

2. (intransitive) To lament; to grieve.

   • He sighed deeply in his spirit.

3. (intransitive, transitive) To utter sighs over; to lament or mourn over.
   • 1695, Matthew Prior, An ode presented to the king, on His Majesty's arrival in Holland, after the Queen's death

     Ages to come, and men unborn, / Shall bless her name, and sigh her fate.

4. (intransitive) To experience an emotion associated with sighing.

5. (intransitive) To make a sound like sighing.
   • 1798, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

     And the coming wind did roar more loud, / And the sails did sigh like sedge.

   • ?, Alfred Tennyson, The Death of the Old Year

     The winter winds are wearily sighing.

6. (transitive) To exhale (the breath) in sighs.
7. (transitive) To express by sighs; to utter in or with sighs.
   • 1763, John Hoole (translator), Jerusalem Delivered (by Torquato Tasso

     The gentle swain […] sighs back her grief.

Synonyms

• (all): sithe (obsolete)

Translations

Noun

sigh (plural sighs)

1. A deep, prolonged audible inhale and exhale of breath; as when fatigued, frustrated, grieved, or relieved; the act of sighing.
   • 1913, Eleanor Porter, Pollyanna, Chapter 7:

     To Pollyanna the air was all the more stifling after that cool breath of the out of doors; but she did not complain. She only drew a long quivering sigh.

2. Figuratively, a manifestation of grief; a lament.
3. (Cockney rhyming slang) A person who is bored.

Derived terms

• yawn-sigh

Translations

Interjection

sigh

1. An expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, frustration, or the like, often used in casual written contexts.

   Sigh, I'm so bored at work today.

Translations

Anagrams

• Gish, gish

English

Etymology

From Middle English snorten, from earlier fnorten, probably related to Middle English snoren, fnoren, from Old English fnora. See snore and sneeze for more on the change from fn- to sn-.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /sn??t/
• Rhymes: -??(r)t

Noun

snort (plural snorts)

1. The sound made by exhaling or inhaling roughly through the nose.
2. (slang) A dose of a drug to be snorted. Here, "drug" includes snuff (i.e., pulverized tobacco).
3. (slang) A consumed portion of alcoholic drink.
   • 1951, Indiana Historical Society Publications (volumes 16-17, page 157)

     Everybody tipped up the jug and took a snort of whisky and followed it with a gourd of cool water. We thought a snort of whisky now and then braced us up some and put a little more lift in us.

   • 1978, George G. Gilman, Edge: Red River, Pinnacle Books (1978), ?ISBN, page 45:

     "It won't buy you any wine," Paxton told him.

     "I know that," the drunk replied in an insulted tone. "It's a pussy pass, ain't it?"

     Paxton grinned wearily. "How would you know that? You'd rather have a snort than a screw any day."

4. (nautical, Britain) A submarine snorkel.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

snort (third-person singular simple present snorts, present participle snorting, simple past and past participle snorted)

1. (intransitive) To make a snort; to exhale roughly through the nose.

   She snorted with laughter.

2. (transitive) To express or force out by snorting.

   He snorted a derisory reply and turned on his heel.

3. (transitive, slang) To inhale (usually a drug) through the nose.

   to snort cocaine

4. (intransitive, obsolete) To snore.
5. (intransitive, nautical, of submarines) To sail at periscope depth through the use of a snort or snorkel.

Synonyms

• (inhale through the nose): insufflate

Derived terms

Translations

References

Anagrams

• ronts, trons

Dutch

Pronunciation

Verb

snort

1. second- and third-person singular present indicative of snorren
2. (archaic) plural imperative of snorren