Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SNAR-ED, pp.

Entangled; unexpectedly involved in difficulty.

SNAR-ER, n.

One who lays snares or entangles.

SNAR-ING, ppr.

Entangling; ensnaring.

SNARL, n.

Entanglement; a knot or complication of hair, thread, &c., which it is difficult to disentangle.

SNARL, v.i. [G. schnarren, to snarl, to speak in the throat; D. snar, snappish. This word seems to be allied to gnarl, and to proceed from some root signifying to twist, bind, or fasten, or to involve, entangle, and thus to be allied to snare.]

1. To growl, as an angry or surly dog; to gnarl; to utter grumbling sounds; but it expresses more violence than grumble. That I should snarl and bite and play the dog. – Shak.
2. To speak roughly; to talk in rude, murmuring terms. It is malicious and unmanly to snarl at the little lapses of a pen, from which Virgil himself stands not exempted. – Dryden.

SNARL, v.t.

1. To entangle; to complicate; to involve in knots; as, to snarl the hair; to snarl a skain of thread. [This word is in universal popular use in New England.]
2. To embarrass.

SNARL-ER, n.

One who snarls; a surly, growling animal; a grumbling, quarrelsome fellow. Swift.

SNARL-ING, ppr.

1. Growling; grumbling angrily.
2. Entangling.

SNAR-Y, a. [from snare.]

Entangling; insidious. Spiders in the vault their snary webs have spread. – Dryden.

SNAST, n. [G. schnautze, a snout.]

The snuff of a candle. [Not in use.] – Bacon.

SNATCH, n.

1. A hasty catch or seizing.
2. A catching at or attempt to seize suddenly.
3. A short fit of vigorous action; as, a snatch at weeding after a shower. – Tusser.
4. A broken or interrupted action; a short fit or turn. They move by fits and snatches. – Wilkins. We have often little snatches of sunshine. – Spectator.
5. A shuffling answer. [Little used.] – Shak.

SNATCH, v.i.

To catch at; to attempt to seize suddenly. Nay, the ladies too will be snatching. – Shak. He shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry. – Is. ix.

SNATCH, v.t. [pret. and pp. snatched or snacht. D. snakken, to grasp, to catch for breath.]

1. To seize hastily or abruptly. When half our knowledge we must snatch, not take. – Pope.
2. To seize without permission or ceremony; as, to snatch a kiss.
3. To seize and transport away; as, snatch me to heaven. – Thomson.

SNATCH'-BLOCK, n.

A. particular kind of block used in ships, having an opening in one side to receive the bight of a rope. – Mar. Dict.

SNATCH'ED, pp.

Seized suddenly and violently.

SNATCH'ER, n.

One that snatches or takes abruptly. – Shak.

SNATCH'ING, ppr.

Seizing hastily or abruptly; catching at.

SNATCH'ING-LY, adv.

by snatching; hastily; abruptly. – Shak.

SNATH, n. [Sax. snæd; Eng. snathe, sneath.]

The handle of a sythe. – New England.

SNATHE, v.t. [Sax. snidan, snithan.]

To lop; to prune. [Not in use.]

SNAT'TOCK, n. [supra.]

A chip; a slice. [Not in use or local.] – Gayton.

SNEAK, n.

A mean fellow.

SNEAK, v.i. [Sax. snican; Dan. sniger, to creep, or move softly. See Snake.]

1. To creep or steal away privately; to withdraw meanly, as a person afraid or ashamed to be seen; as, to sneak away from company; to sneak into a corner or behind a screen. You skulk'd behind the fence, and sneak'd away. – Dryden.
2. To behave with meanness and servility; to crouch; to truckle. Will sneaks a scriv'ner, an exceeding knave. – Pope.

SNEAK, v.t.

To hide. [Not in use.] – Wake.

SNEAK-ER, n.

A small vessel of drink. [Local.] – Spectator.