snicker(动词/名词):暗笑、窃笑(通常是带点嘲弄、幸灾乐祸或不太礼貌的笑);也可指窃笑声。
(另:Snickers 也是巧克力品牌名,但此处为常见词义。)
/ˈsnɪkər/
She tried not to snicker during the serious meeting.
她在严肃的会议上努力不让自己偷笑。
When he mispronounced the word, a few students snickered quietly at the back, which made him even more nervous.
当他把那个词读错时,后排有几个学生悄悄窃笑,这让他更紧张了。
snicker 可能源自表示“悄声笑、偷偷笑”的拟声或方言形式,记录可追溯到17世纪左右的英语用法。它所表达的笑往往带有“压低声音、藏着笑”的感觉,与公开大笑(laugh)不同。