This word has two meanings:

1) direct meaning (the meaning Gogol and Nabokov are played with):

Anything related specifically to the tastes of the social group or class which author believes to be inferior.

This is very emotionally negative word. The one who use this word assumes that there is an inferior social group and says something like: "Hey, this is exactly like those nasty people like to do! This is disgusting, vulgar! Don't be like them!"

Actually this word is the pure essence of snobbery.

2) indirect meaning:

Foul phrase.