窃笑;暗笑(尤指以嘲弄或不怀好意的方式)
窃笑;暗笑
Snigger 是一个拟声词,其起源模仿了抑制笑声时从鼻子或喉咙发出的声音。它可能受到了中古英语 snicker 或荷兰语、低地德语中类似拟声词(如 snikken,意为“哽咽地笑”)的影响。这种直接模仿声音的构词方式,生动地捕捉了那种压抑、略带嘲讽的笑声特质,并使其词义与声音紧密相连,直接演变为现代的“窃笑”含义。
snigger
“The group of boys would snigger whenever the teacher turned his back.”
每当老师转过身去,那群男孩就会窃笑。
“She tried to suppress a snigger during the serious meeting.”
在这场严肃的会议中,她努力忍住不窃笑。
“His story was met with sniggers from the audience who found it absurd.”
他的故事引来了听众的窃笑,他们都觉得这很荒谬。