word usage - Is a "scoff" a sound one makes or is it merely a gibe?


When one "scoffs," is one actually making a snort-like sound, or is one merely treating something or someone with a disdain? Look at this example from Oxford: ‘‘You, a scientist?’ he scoffed.’ In such a case, is the one scoffing showing contempt through derision, or is he making an actual sound much like a soft cough?


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