Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
adj
In advance; before release to the general public.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
In a stealthy or surreptitious manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
One who sneaks; one who moves stealthily to acquire an item or information.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The act of sneaking
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A cheat; a con artist.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Synonyms: con artist, trickster, bristler, bunco artist, bunco-steerer, chiseler, confidence artist, confidence trickster, conman, flimflammer, grifter, lugger, magsman, mountebank, saltimbanco, sharpster, sharker, shark-gull, slicker, smooth operator, spiv, bamboozler, bouncer, bullshitter, cheat, cheater, cogger, cony-catcher, crammer, deceiver, deceptor, fabricator, fabulist, falser, gabber, guiler, liar, losenger, mocker, pseudologist, rook, Scandaroon, shammer, Spanish athlete, swindler, swike, treacher, trucker, wernard
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An informer; a tell-tale.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: abaddon, accuser, beefer, bewrayer, bigmouth, blabber, blabtale, blabtongue, canary, CI, finger, fink, fizgig, gossip, grass, informant, informer, jurat, leak, mole, narc, nark, nonce, outer, peacher, quisling, rat, ratfink, rooster, sneak, snitch, snout, squealer, state's evidence, stooge, stool pigeon, stoolie, supergrass, sycophant, tattler, tattletale, telltale tit, telltale, tout, whistleblower
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A ball bowled so as to roll along the ground; a daisy-cutter
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
Topics: ball-games, cricket, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A sneaker; a tennis shoe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A play where the quarterback receives the snap and immediately dives forward.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: American-football, ball-games, football, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Ellipsis of sneak preview
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
Qualifier: movie theaters
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An unworthy or deceptive entry in a list of high-ranking people or things.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: derogatory, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To creep or go stealthily; to come or go while trying to avoid detection, as a person who does not wish to be seen.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Synonyms: skulk, steal, slink
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To take something stealthily without permission.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Synonyms: steal
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To stealthily bring someone something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ditransitive
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To hide, especially in a mean or cowardly manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To inform an authority of another's misdemeanours.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal, intransitive, with-on
Synonyms: grass, snitch, tell tales
Antonyms: none provided
noun
someone acting as an informer or decoy for the police
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: fink, snitch, snitcher, stoolpigeon, stool pigeon, stoolie, sneaker, canary
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: informer, betrayer, rat, squealer, blabber
noun
someone who prowls or sneaks about; usually with unlawful intentions
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: prowler, stalker
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: intruder, interloper, trespasser
noun
a person who is regarded as underhanded and furtive and contemptible
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: unpleasant person, disagreeable person
verb
to go stealthily or furtively
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: mouse, creep, pussyfoot
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: walk
verb
pass on stealthily
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: slip
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: pass, hand, reach, pass on, turn over, give
verb
make off with belongings of others
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: pilfer, cabbage, purloin, pinch, abstract, snarf, swipe, hook, filch, nobble, lift
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: steal
verb
put, bring, or take in a secretive or furtive manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: act, move
History
Possibly from Middle English sniken (“to creep, crawl”), from Old English snīcan (“to creep, crawl”), from Proto-West Germanic *snīkan, from Proto-Germanic *snīkaną (“to creep, crawl”), of sound-symbolic origin; compare formally unrelated snake, snoop, snook, snoke, and snoot. Cognate with Danish snige (“to sneak”), Swedish snika (“to sneak, hanker after”), Icelandic sníkja (“to sneak, hanker after”). Possibly related to snitch.
Across languages
123 source translations are retained for this English entry.
