[HPforGrownups] James and Snape. Was. Re: Snape and Harry again.

[feklar]

No: HPFGUIDX 113834

> > feklar:
> >
> > no, that's the standard American figurative understanding
> of "lapdog" as well.  Same for "snivel" and "snivelling," tho' I
> think the term might be considered a bit archaic here.
> >
>
> Valky,
> Thankyou Feklar, I find the word archaic a bit amusing, though. I am
> only 30 and "Lapdog" has been in common use, this way, in my

feklar

the archaic comment was part of the snivelling sentence, not the lapdog one.
Lapdog is still pretty commonly used.  Actually, I suspect most people do
usually think of the figurative meaning (subordinate, errand-boy,
brownnoser, whatever) rather than a cute, ornamental canine when the word
appears.   OTOH, "snivelling" seems kind of old-fashioned, possibly even
overwrought.  Ironically, in ref. to the other def. potioncat produced,
"snivelling child" does immediately produce the image of a snot-faced,
sniffling kid to me.  I expect sniffling and sniveling are closely related,
but snivel has a derogatory import that sniffle doesn't...Ironic that
Padfoot's alternate name is Snuffles, eh?

Feklar