Cock a Snook

Posted by R. Berg on May 12, 2003

In Reply to: Cock a Snook posted by bella 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."

It surprises me that anyone could keep a card like that for long. Had it been mine, I would have found too many occasions to send it.