Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense sneezes, present participle sneezing, past tense, past participle sneezed
1. verb
When you sneeze, you suddenly take in your breath and then blow it down your nose noisily without being able to stop yourself, for example because you have a cold.
What exactly happens when we sneeze? [VERB]
See your doctor now to beat summer sneezing. [VERB-ing]
Sneeze is also a noun.
Coughs and sneezes spread infections.
2.
See not to be sneezed at
sneeze in British English
(sniːz)
verb
1. (intransitive)
to expel air and nasal secretions from the nose involuntarily, esp as the result of irritation of the nasal mucous membrane
noun
2.
the act or sound of sneezing
Derived forms
sneezeless (ˈsneezeless)
adjective
sneezer (ˈsneezer)
noun
sneezy (ˈsneezy)
adjective
Word origin
Old English fnēosan (unattested); related to Old Norse fnӯsa, Middle High German fnūsen, Greek pneuma breath
sneeze in American English
(sniz)
verb intransitiveWord forms: sneezed or ˈsneezing
1.
to exhale breath from the nose and mouth in a sudden, involuntary, explosive action, as a result of an irritation of the nasal mucous membrane
noun
2.
an act of sneezing
Idioms:
not to be sneezed at
Derived forms
sneezer (ˈsneezer)
noun
sneezy (ˈsneezy)
adjective
Word origin
ME snesen, prob. echoic alteration of fnesen < OE fneosan: for IE base see pneuma
Examples of 'sneeze' in a sentence
sneeze
And the sound of you sneezing and blowing your nose has been replaced by the sound of.
The Sun (2006)
Variations include inducing a sneeze by sniffing pepper or looking at something bright.
The Sun (2008)
Remembering how sufferers feel should stop those around them from being impatient of their sneezing fits.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Can you also stop them sneezing in public?
The Sun (2014)
One human cough or sneeze could kill him.
The Sun (2015)
But sneezing and coughing is really painful.
The Sun (2010)
Best for sneezing and runny nose.
The Sun (2008)
No. Our eyes only close when we sneeze to stop bacteria getting in.
The Sun (2013)
And three days after Noel began to cough and sneeze.
E. Nesbit The Treasure Seekers (1899)
My main problem is an itchy or runny nose and sneezing, particularly first thing in the morning.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
A sneeze takes around three seconds to complete.
The Sun (2014)
I seem to be constantly sniffing or sneezing.
The Sun (2010)
And the sound of you sneezing and blowing your nose has been replaced by... the soundof you sneezing and blowing your nose.
The Sun (2008)
They should have an idea of how to blow their nose, cover their mouth if they cough and their nose when they sneeze.
The Sun (2011)
To stop a sneeze, bite your lip, pinch the bridge of your nose or tightly close your eyes.
The Sun (2009)
Straight away I stopped sneezing.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In other languages
sneeze
British English: sneeze /sniːz/ VERB
When you sneeze, you suddenly take in your breath and then blow it down your nose noisily without being able to stop yourself, for example because you have a cold.
Cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze.
American English: sneeze
Arabic: يَعطُسُ
Brazilian Portuguese: espirrar
Chinese: 打喷嚏
Croatian: kihnuti
Czech: kýchat
Danish: nyse
Dutch: niezen
European Spanish: estornudar
Finnish: aivastaa
French: éternuer
German: niesen
Greek: φτερνίζομαι
Italian: starnutire
Japanese: くしゃみをする
Korean: 재채기하다
Norwegian: nyse
Polish: kichnąć
European Portuguese: espirrar
Romanian: a strănuta
Russian: чихать
Latin American Spanish: estornudar
Swedish: nysa
Thai: จาม
Turkish: hapşırmak
Ukrainian: чхати
Vietnamese: hắt hơi
Chinese translation of 'sneeze'
sneeze
(sniːz)
vi
打喷(噴)嚏 (dǎ pēntì)
n(c)
喷(噴)嚏 (pēntì) (个(個), gè)
it's not to be sneezed at (inf) 这(這)可不应(應)被轻(輕)视(視) (zhè kě bù yīng bèi qīngshì)