• Sneak

    Pronunciation

    • IPA: /sniːk/
    • Rhymes: -iːk

    Origin

    From Middle English sniken ("to creep, crawl"), related to Old English snīcan ("to desire, reach for sneakily"), from Proto-Germanic *snīkaną, which is related to the root of snake.

    Full definition of sneak

    Noun

    sneak

    (plural sneaks)
    1. One who sneaks; one who moves stealthily to acquire an item or information.My little brother is such a sneak - yesterday I caught him trying to look through my diary.
    2. A cheat; a con artist; a tricksterI can't believe I gave that sneak $50 for a ticket when they were selling for $20 at the front gate.
    3. An informer; a tell-tale.
    4. (obsolete, cricket) A ball bowled so as to roll along the ground; a daisy-cutter

    Verb

    1. (intransitive) To creep or go stealthily; to come or go while trying to avoid detection, as a person who does not wish to be seen.He decided to sneak into the kitchen for a second cookie while his mom was on the phone.
    2. (transitive) To take something stealthily without permission.I went to sneak a chocolate but my dad caught me.
    3. (transitive, dated) To hide, especially in a mean or cowardly manner.
    4. (intransitive) (informal, especially with on) To inform an authority about another's misdemeanours; to tell tales; to grass.If you sneak on me I'll bash you!

    Derived terms

    Usage notes

    1. To sneak something is not the same as to steal something. In this sense, sneak typically implies trying to avoid a supervisor's or guardian's mild displeasure or mild discipline (typically with food intended for several), while steal indicates a more serious action and often the person stealing does not know the owner of the item being stolen.


    2. The past and past participle snuck is primarily found in North American English, where it originated in the late 19th century as a dialectal form, and where it is still regarded as informal by some; its use appears to be increasing in frequency and acceptability. It is sometimes found in British and Australian/Hiberno-English too. (Compare The Cambridge Guide to English Usage, Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, Webster's New World College Dictionary).

    Adjective

    sneak

    1. In advance; before release to the general public.The company gave us a sneak look at their new electronic devices.
    2. In a stealthy or surreptitious manner.I was able to get a sneak peek at the guest list.

    Derived terms

    Anagrams

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