Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SNAIL-LIKE, a.

Resembling a snail; moving very slowly.

SNAIL-LIKE, adv.

In the manner of a snail; slowly.

SNAKE, n. [Sax. snaca; Dan. snog; G. schnake; (Sans. naga. Qu.) In G. schnecke, Dan. snekke, is a snail, from the root of Dan. sniger, Ir. snaighim, Sax. snican, to creep, to sneak.]

A serpent of the oviparous kind, distinguished from a viper, says Johnson. But in America, the common and general name of serpents, and so the word is used by the poets. – Dryden. Shak.

SNAKE, v.t.

In seamen's language, to wind a small rope round a large one spirally, the small ropes lying in the spaces between the strands of the large one. This is called also worming.

SNAKE-ISH, a.

Having the qualities of a snake.

SNAKE-ROOT, n. [snake and root.]

A popular name supplied to a great number of different plants, probably to 50 or 100. It is a literal translation of Ophiorrhiza, the name of a genus of plants. The number of plants called by the name of snakeroot, in America, is far too great for enumeration in this place.

SNAKE'S-HEAD-I'RIS, n. [SNAKE'S-HEAD I'RIS.]

A plant, Iris tuberosa, of Arabia.

SNAKE-WEED, n. [snake and weed.]

A plant, bistort, the genus Polygonum.

SNAKE-WOOD, n. [snake and wood.]

The smaller branches of a tree, growing in the isle of Timor and other parts of the east, having a bitter taste, and supposed to be a certain remedy for the bite of the hooded serpent. – Hill. It is the wood of the Strychnos colubrina. – Parr.

SNAK-ING, ppr.

Winding small ropes spirally round a large one.

SNAK-Y, a.

1. Pertaining to a snake or to snakes; resembling a snake; serpentine; winding.
2. Sly; cunning; insinuating; deceitful. So to the coast of Jordan he directs / His easy steps, girded with snaky wiles. – Milton.
3. Having serpents; as, a snaky rod or wand. – Dryden. That snaky headed gorgon shield. – Milton.

SNAP, n.

1. A sudden breaking or rupture of any substance.
2. A sudden, eager bite; a sudden seizing or effort to seize with the teeth.
3. A crack of a whip.
4. A greedy fellow. – L'Estrange.
5. A catch; a theft. – Johnson.

SNAP, v.i.

1. To break short; to part asunder suddenly; as, a mast or spar snaps; a needle snaps. If steel is too hard, that is, too brittle, with the least bending it will snap. – Moxon.
2. To make an effort to bite; to aim to seize with the teeth; as, a dog snaps at a passenger; a fish snaps at the bait.
3. To utter sharp, harsh, angry words.

SNAP, v.t. [D. snappen, snaawen; G. schnappen, to snap, to snatch, to gasp or catch for breath; Dan. snapper; Sw. snappa; from the root of knap and D. knippen.]

1. To break at once; to break short; as, substances that are brittle. Breaks the doors open, snaps the locks. – Prior.
2. To strike with a sharp sound. – Pope.
3. To bite or seize suddenly with the teeth. – Addison. Gay.
4. To break upon suddenly with sharp, angry words.
5. To crack; as, to snap a whip. To snap off, to break suddenly. #2. To bite off suddenly. – Wiseman. To snap one up, to snap one up short, to treat with sharp words.

SNAP'-DRAG-ON, n.

1. A plant. The popular name of several different plants; as, for example, of a species of Antirrhinum, of Ruellia, of Barleria, &c.
2. A play in which raisins are snatched from burning brandy, and put into the mouth. – Tatler.
3. The thing eaten at snapdragon. – Swift.

SNAP'HANCE, n.

A kind of firelock. – Skelton.

SNAP'PED, pp.

Broken abruptly; seized or bitten suddenly; cracked, as a whip.

SNAP'PER, n.

One that snaps. – Shak.

SNAP'PISH, a.

1. Eager to bite; apt to snap; as, a snappish cur.
2. Peevish; sharp in reply; apt to speak angrily or tartly.

SNAP'PISH-LY, adv.

Peevishly; angrily; tartly.

SNAP'PISH-NESS, n.

The quality of being snappish; peevishness; tartness.

SNAP'SACK, n.

A knapsack. [Vulgar.]

SNAR, v.i.

To snarl. [Not in use.] – Spenser.

SNARE, n. [Dan. snare; Sw. snara; Dan. snore, a string or cord, D. snor; Sw. snöre, a line; snöra, to lace.]

1. An instrument for catching animals, particularly fowls, by the leg. It consists of a cord or string with slip-knots, in which the leg is entangled. A snare is not a net.
2. Any thing by which one is entangled and brought into trouble. – 1 Cor. vii. A fool's lips are the snare of his soul. – Prov. xviii.

SNARE, v.t. [Dan. snarer.]

To catch with a snare; to ensnare; to entangle; to bring into unexpected evil, perplexity, or danger. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. – Ps. ix.