sniffle

sniff +‎ -le (early modern English frequentative suffix)

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• Rhymes: -ɪfəl

sniffle (third-person singular simple present sniffles, present participle sniffling, simple past and past participle sniffled)

1. (intransitive) To make a whimpering or sniffing sound when breathing, because of a runny nose.

   Sonia sniffled a little, and her eyes were puffy and wet.

2. (transitive) To utter with a whimpering or sniffing sound.

   He sniffled a pathetic apology.

sniffle (plural sniffles)

1. The act, or the sound of sniffling; the condition of having a runny or wet nose, as from a cold or allergies.

   I sometimes have a sniffle during allergy season.

• niffles