snore v.

early 15c, snorten, earlier fnorten (late 14c.), "breathe heavily, expel air through the nose with a harsh sound, make the sound of a horse," probably related to snore (v.) or like it imitative of the sound made. The sense of "express contempt" is from 1818. The meaning "inhale cocaine" is attested by 1935. Related: Snorted; snorting.

early 13c., "trunk or projecting nose of an animal, the nose or jaws when protrusive," not found in Old English, from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch snute "snout," from Proto-Germanic *snut- (source also of German Schnauze, Norwegian snut, Danish snude "snout").

Throughout the Germanic languages a group of words in sn- (Modern German and Yiddish schn-) relate to the human nose or the animal snout. Probably the root is imitative. The senses can extend to the snap of a dog's snout; the snort a horse can make, and the rough or obstructed breathing of a human snore. Also compare snarl, sneeze, snooze, snuff, snoop, snot, etc. Their relation to another Germanic group having to do with "to cut; a detached part" (snip, snick, etc.) is uncertain, but the senses tend to overlap.

Of other animals and (contemptuously) of humans from c. 1300. 16c.-17c. English had snout-fair "good-looking" (1520s).

Lady Strangelove: Not as a suitor to me sir?

Mr. Swaynwit: No you are too great for me. Nor your Mopsey without, though shee be snout-faire, and has some wit shee's too little for me ...

[Brome, "The Court Beggar," 1632]

1944, "airshaft for a submarine," from German Schnorchel, from German navy slang Schnorchel "nose, snout," which is related to schnarchen "to snore" (see snore (n.)). So called from some resemblance to a nose or to its noise when activated. The Englished spelling first recorded 1949. The meaning "curved tube used by a swimmer to breathe under water" is first recorded 1951. Compare earlier, now obsolete, English immitative snork "to snort" (1807); "a snort" (1814).