meaning?

[ma3898]

what does this sentence mean in plain, "unclever" English?

This phrase is as effective a snub as anyone could want.

[jno]

to snub someone is to rebuke them - often by ignoring them. The sentence means the snub was effective - presumably the person who was snubbed felt rebuked or insulted - it worked so well that you could not have wanted it to be more effective.