Also 9 dial. snifle. [Imitative: cf. G. (now dial.) schniffeln, † schnifeln, and see SNIVEL v., SNUFFLE v.] intr. To snivel or snuffle slightly; to sniff. Also (with that and compl.), to say with a sniffle.
The vbl. sb. and ppl. a. are recorded much earlier.
1819. Scott, Leg. Montr., xiv. So saying, and … sniffling a little to swallow his grief, he turned from the heart-rending spectacle.
1846. Landor, Imag. Conv., Wks. 1853, II. 228/2. He does not sniffle: to my ears he speaks plain English.
1883. L. A. Lambert, Notes on Ingersoll, vi. 57. And yet you sniffle that He killed art.
b. transf. Of a breeze. (Cf. next.)
1885. J. Runciman, Skippers & Shellbacks, 143. About nine it began to sniffle and blow a bit.
