/ sniːz; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
[ v ] to have air come suddenly and noisily out through your nose and mouth in a way that you cannot control, for example because you have a cold :
I've been sneezing all morning.
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IDIOMS
- not to be sneezed at
■ noun
the act of sneezing or the noise you make when you sneeze :
coughs and sneezes
She gave a violent sneeze.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : apparently an alteration of Middle English fnese due to misreading or misprinting (after initial fn- had become unfamiliar), later adopted because it sounded appropriate.