schnauben

From dialectal Middle High German snūben, related to Middle Low German snûven, Middle High German snūfen (“to gasp, pant”), which is part of a group of interrelated forms (see below), ultimately from a Germanic base imitative of the sudden drawing of breath. The verb was originally strong, but developed weak forms as early as the 16th century, which have then predominated since the 18th century.^[1] Cognate with Dutch snuiven. Compare also the German variant schnaufen.

• IPA^(key): /ʃnaʊ̯bən/, [ʃnaʊ̯bən], [ʃnaʊ̯bm̩]

• Audio:

  (file)

schnauben (weak or class 2 strong, third-person singular present schnaubt, past tense schnaubte or (dated) schnob, past participle geschnaubt or (dated) geschnoben, past subjunctive schnaubte or (dated) schnöbe, auxiliary haben)

1. (intransitive) to snort; to pant (to breathe loudly)
   • 1998, Wolfgang Krege, transl., Der Hobbit, 20th edition, Germany: J. G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachfolger GmbH, translation of The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, published 2012, →ISBN, page 289:

     »Rache!«, schnob er, und das Licht aus seinen Augen erhellte die Halle vom Boden bis zur Decke wie ein scharlachroter Blitz.

     "Revenge!" he snorted, and the light of his eyes lit the hall from floor to ceiling like scarlet lightning.

• The verb schnauben is most often used referring either to animals, particularly horses, or to someone’s snorting out of anger. The related form schnaufen is more common otherwise (although this distinction is not clear-cut).
• Only the weak conjugation is common today.

• Schnauben n
• Schnauber m

• schnaufen
• schniefen
• schnüffeln
• schnupfen
• schnuppern

• “schnauben” in Duden online
• “schnauben” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “schnauben” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.