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Compliment vs Sneer - What's the difference?

compliment | sneer |

As nouns the difference between compliment and sneer

is that compliment is an expression of praise, congratulation, encouragement, or respect while sneer is a facial expression where one slightly raises one corner of the upper lip, generally indicating scorn.

As verbs the difference between compliment and sneer

is that compliment is to pay a compliment (to); to express a favorable opinion (of) while sneer is to raise a corner of the upper lip slightly, especially in scorn.

compliment

English

(wikipedia compliment)

Etymology 1

From (etyl), from (etyl) complire, from (etyl) complere

Noun

(en noun)
  • An expression of praise, congratulation, encouragement, or respect.
  • * Milton
    • Tedious waste of time, to sit and hear / So many hollow compliments and lies.
  • * Cowper
    • many a compliment politely penned
  • (uncountable) Complimentary language; courtesy, flattery.
  • *
    • This accomplished man condescended to think of a young girl, and take the pains to talk to her, not with absurd compliment , but with an appeal to her understanding, and sometimes with instructive correction.
    • Synonyms
    * See also
    Antonyms
    *insult
    Derived terms
    * backhanded compliment * left-handed compliment * with compliments

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl), from (etyl) complimento'' (etyl) ''cumplimiento'', from ''cumplir'', from ''complire'', from (etyl) ''complere .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (ambitransitive) To pay a compliment (to); to express a favorable opinion (of).
  • * Prior
    • Monarchs should their inward soul disguise; / Should compliment their foes and shun their friends.
    • Antonyms
    *insult

    sneer

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To raise a corner of the upper lip slightly, especially in scorn
  • To utter with a grimace or contemptuous expression; to say sneeringly.
    • to sneer fulsome lies at a person

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A facial expression where one slightly raises one corner of the upper lip, generally indicating scorn.
  • A display of contempt; scorn.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
    • , chapter=8 citation , passage=It was a casual sneer , obviously one of a long line. There was hatred behind it, but of a quiet, chronic type, nothing new or unduly virulent, and he was taken aback by the flicker of amazed incredulity that passed over the younger man's ravaged face.}}

    See also

    * snarl

    Anagrams

    * ----