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Cock a Snook

Posted by Bella on May 12, 2003

In Reply to: Cock a Snook posted by TheFallen on May 12, 2003

: : : Any suggestions?

: : If you cock a snook at someone then you show them contempt or opposition. Snook in this saying is the action of putting one's thumb to the nose and spreading out the fingers as a sign of contempt. The gesture only became used in the 19th century and its origins are apparently unknown.
Thrown into this discussion purely as an F.Y.I. (for your information) giggle, I have a greeting card at home which I bought long ago. It shows the legendary French mime Marcel Marceau, in makeup, left profile, thumb to nose.
The "sentiment", the saying inside?
"I still say I'm right."

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