English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English sniken ("to creep, crawl"), related to Old English snican ("to desire, reach for sneakily"), from Proto-Germanic *sneikanan, which is related to the root of snake.
Pronunciation[edit]
sneak (plural sneaks)
- A mean, sneaking fellow.
- An informer; a tell-tale; a grass.
- (obsolete, cricket) A ball bowled so as to roll along the ground; a daisy-cutter
Translations[edit]
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
sneak (third-person singular simple present sneaks, present participle sneaking, simple past and past participle sneaked or snuck)
- To creep or steal (away or about) privately; to come or go meanly, as a person afraid or ashamed to be seen;
- to sneak away from company.
- To hide, especially in a mean or cowardly manner.
- (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!
Usage notes[edit]
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).
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
to hide in a mean or cowardly manner
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
Anagrams[edit]
