Complaining in a weak, whining, or sniffling manner; speaking in an annoying, pathetic voice.
Related to 'snivel,' which comes from Old English 'snovelin,' imitative of the snuffling sound of crying or whining. The '-ly' suffix makes it an adjective describing the quality or manner of being sniveling.
The way we describe whining in English is almost entirely onomatopoetic—'snivel,' 'whine,' 'whimper' all actually sound like what they describe, which is why calling someone 'snively' feels instantly insulting without explanation.
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