snirt

snirt (third-person singular simple present snirts, present participle snirting, simple past and past participle snirted)

1. (Scotland) To give a suppressed laugh or sharp intake of breath.
   • 1833, Anonymous, writing in The Dublin University Magazine: A Literary and Political Journal, page 575, "Willie and Pate" :

     "He grins, and snirts, and thraws ye ken — / I maist could die, wi' laughin."

   • 1837, James Hogg, "Katie Cheyne" in Tales and Sketches, page 172:

     "But ye see there was a great deal of blushing and snirting, and bits of made coughs, as if to keep down a thorough guffau."

   • 1871, William Black, A daughter of Heth: A novel, page 160:

     The Whaup grew very red in the face, and 'snirted' with laughter."

snirt (plural snirts)

1. (Scotland) A suppressed laugh; a sharp intake of breath.

• snirtle

Blend of snow +‎ dirt

snirt (uncountable)

1. (Canada, US) Snow that is dirty, often seen by the side of roads and parking lots that have been plowed.
   • 1975, United States House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Related Agencies, Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations for 1976, page 175 :

     "We then have what we call 'snirt' storms."

   • 1985, United States House Committee on Agriculture, General Farm Bill of 1985: Hearings Before the Committee on Agriculture, page 924 :

     "Snirt or a mixture of snow and dirt is the term popularly applied to the windrows of dirt along the roads during a Minnesota winter."

   • 1997, William S. Burroughs, Last Words, Grove Press, page 73, →ISBN:

     "'Snirt' is a thing of the spring."

   • 2004, Dean Norman, Studio Cards: Funny Greeting Cards and People Who Created Them, Trafford Publishing, →ISBN, page 131:

     "... it wasn't a hard winter. Only a couple of blizzards and snirt and snuss storms."

• snirty