cock a snook at
idiom (informal)

- to make a rude gesture by putting one thumb to the nose with the fingers of the hand outstretched

- to do something intentionally to show you have no respect for someone or something

Collins Dictionary / The Cambridge Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

“Cock a snook at” was first recorded in 1791. It is more widely used in Britain but is not unknown in America, where “to thumb one’s nose at” is more common.

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HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED

From The Mid-Sussex Times (Haywards Heath, Sussex, England) of Tuesday 10th September 1907:

At Eastbourne Mr. Oscar Lewisohn, of Forwood, Ascot, husband of “Miss Edna May,” was summoned for driving a motor-car at a dangerous pace and with failing to stop when signalled to by a police-constable. The defendant set a plea of “Not guilty.”

Constable Ashenden said he saw a car coming from the railway station towards the sea at the rate of about 20 miles an hour. He stepped into the road and held up his right hand to stop the car. The defendant, who was driving, placed his thumb to his nose in an insulting manner, slackened speed, but then drove on. Mr. Newton, in defence, said his client was a gentleman of position, and would be the last person in the world to avoid proper authority.

Mr. Lewisohn’s driver swore that his master did not put his fingers to his nose. The speed, he said, was only 15 miles an hour. Two previous convictions were proved, and the defendant was fined £25, including costs.

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SYNONYMS

- to harshly mock:

be contemptuous (scornful) about (of), belittle, be sarcastic about, blow raspberries (at), catcall, COCK A SNOOK AT, curl your lip at, expose to ridicule, express contempt, give the bird to, heap scorn on, look down one’s nose at, make a mockery of, make a monkey (out) of, regard with contempt, sneer at, sneeze at, snicker at, sniff at, thumb one’s nose at, show Queen Anne’s fan to, the five-fingered salute, treat with disdain, turn up one’s nose at

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“He could seldom resist an opportunity to COCK A SNOOK at company’s rules and regulations.”

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