Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. paltry, contemptible.

1622		Massinger Virgin Martyr II i: Our puling snotty-nose lady sent me out likewise with a purse of money, to relieve and release prisoners.
1707		N. Ward Wooden World 20: Some snotty-nos’d Letter-man, the Product of some quondam Punk or Ale-wife.
1840		Flash Mirror 23: That snotty-nosed black-looking ghost vot’s a-scrawling at the table with you.

2. arrogant, snobbish.

1910		E.A. Nash Forty-fourth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry 42: The SNY on the brasses of the belts of the men, which stood for State of New York, was interpreted by the bystanders as meaning ‘snotty nosed Yankees’.
1917		J.B. Cabell Cream of the Jest 190: I know very well there are snotty-nosed people who accord to these expedients for amending the quirks of fate their starched disfavor.
1948		G. Kersh Song of the Flea 157: ‘But you just have a little consideration for others in future. Remember — you been told once.’ ‘Why, you snotty-nosed bastard!’ said Pym.
1956		J. Curtis Look Long Upon a Monkey 84: Here was one of Ray’s enemies, a lahdidah, jumped up, snotty-nosed cowson, defenceless. Good enough! Smashing chance to put in the slipper.
1960		B. Kops Dream of Peter Mann Act I: You’re a snotty-nosed big mouth.
1974		(con. 1945) M. Angelou Gather Together In My Name 38: Lots of white women trust their babies with me [...] Can’t you just see them? Snotty-nosed little things growing up talking about ‘I had a colored mammy.’ Huh?
1976		L. Dawson The Spy Who Came... 103: ‘Piss off, you snotty-nosed little swine.
1982		J. Sullivan ‘The Yellow Peril’ Only Fools and Horses [TV script] I will not bow my head to any snotty-nosed town hall clerks and their narrow minded rules.
1999		Guardian Guide 10–16 July 95: His sports-car-driving, leather-jacket-wearing ways don’t go down well with the snotty-nosed undergraduates.
2004		J. Britt Bob’s Ichthyosaur 142: Those goddamned, snotty-nosed, rich kids of his who couldn’t give a goddamn about him.

3. (also snotty-nose) young, immature, childish.

[1751		Smollett Peregrine Pickle (1964) 9: Bower a peer of the realm! a fellow of yesterday, that scarce knows a mast from a manger; a snotty-nose boy].
1937		E. Anderson Thieves Like Us (1999) 40: I was just a snotty-nose punk.
1947–53		W. Guthrie Seeds of Man (1995) 264: Standing out here on this back porch like a snotty-nose sissy, missing out on my supper.
1958		(con. 1950) E. Frankel Band of Brothers 334: Snotty-nosed kids, half of them Reserves, and one-hitch NCOs and damn’ few old pros.
1961		T. Taylor Baron’s Court All Change (2011) 43: ‘I’m not a snotty-nosed kid any more’.
1965		C. Brown Manchild in the Promised Land (1969) 198: When she was a snotty-nosed thing, she used to hang out with my sister Margie.
1978		N.J. Crisp London Deal 109: There’s a snotty nosed young DC from the Yard sitting in his car outside [OED].
1985		O. Hawkins Chili 10: Two lil’ slick assed snotty nosed ghetto-hip six year olds.
2002		R. Taylor Fall of Fyorlund 85: You’re all snotty-nosed. Men. Eternally in need of some attention or other or you’ll be off creating trouble.
2017		T. Spicer Good Girl Stripped Bare 324: Those snotty-nosed brats are staging a backlash, as we try to take our share of the sandpit.
2108		(con. 1930s) M. McGrath Pie & Mash 54: Enough of low pay and snot-nosed bosses.