snide
adjective

- derogatory or mocking in an indirect way; containing sly or indirect criticism

- mean or unfair; slyly disparaging; insinuating

- criticizing someone in an unkind and often indirect way; expressing criticism in a nasty or unpleasant way

Oxford English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Cambridge Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

The origin of "snide" is somewhat mysterious, which is rather appropriate for a word describing underhanded behaviour.

The original meaning in the 1859-1880s was “counterfeit, sham, bogus” (particularly referring to fake jewelry or imitation goods): ”snide watch" = a counterfeit watch,” snide goods" = fake merchandise. In the 1880s-1900s it extended to people who dealt in counterfeits or were themselves "fake" (untrustworthy).

From the 1900s-present the meaning shifted to describe insincere, malicious, or derogatory remarks that appear innocent but are actually hostile.

The most likely origin is the German/Yiddish Schneider ("tailor" or "cutter") → English criminal slang for someone who "cut" (cheated) customers with fake goods. The word may have entered English through the jewelry trade where German and Jewish craftsmen were prominent.

A snide remark appears harmless on the surface but carries a nasty undercurrent of mockery, contempt, or criticism. It's the verbal equivalent of a smile that doesn't reach the eyes - superficially polite but fundamentally hostile. The person making a snide comment can often claim innocence ("I was just joking!") while everyone understands the real intent was to wound or belittle.

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SNIDE ANSWERS TO COMMON PROVERBS

"Actions speak louder than words."
- "Then why are you still talking?"

"The early bird catches the worm."
- "And the second mouse gets the cheese!”

“Every cloud has a silver lining.”    
- “Enjoy the lightning strike that comes with it!”

“No pain, no gain.””
- “You’re providing the pain; where’s my gain?"

“Practice makes perfect.”
- “Alas, most people only perfect their faults!”

"Rome wasn’t built in a day."
- “But it burnt down in a single night!”

“Too many cooks spoil the broth.”
- One terrible cook manages that just fine!”

“The grass is always greener on the other side.”
- “That's because it's fertilized with bullshit!”

Maybe the real lesson is simple: sayings guide us, but experience gets the final word.

Helga & Paul Smith

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SYNONYMS

a cheap shot, a dig, a low blow, a put-down, a slap in the face (delivered quietly), a swipe, acerbic, acid, acid-tongued, acidic, acidulous, backhanded compliment, backbite, bad-mouth, barbed, below the belt, belittling, besmirch, bitchy (aside), biting, calumniate, cast aspersions on, catty, caustic, curl one's lip, cutting (remark), cynical, damn with faint praise, demeaning, denigrating, deprecating, derisive, derisory, derogatory, disdainful, dismissive, disparaging, do a hatchet job on, drag through the mud, dripping with sarcasm, have a go at, insinuating, insulting, ironic, left-handed compliment, little dig, low, low-hanging fruit, malicious, mean, mean-spirited, mocking, nasty, needling, poison-tongued, quietly insulting, rude, run down, sarcastic, sardonic, scathing, scornful, sharp-tongued, slighting, sling mud, sly dig, slyly insulting, snarky, sneering, SNIDE, snide aside, snippy, sniffy, spiteful, stick the knife in, take a dig at, tart, throw shade, uncomplimentary, underhand, unkind, unflattering, venomous, waspish, with a wink and a snarl, with venom, wry

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

“Mae West, a master of the SNIDE remark, once said of an acquaintance: ‘His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork’. ”

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Paul
(OWAD Founder)