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snoop

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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From Dutch snoepen (“to pry, eat in secret, sneak”). Related to Dutch and Low German snappen (“to bite, seize”), Dutch snavel (“beak, bill, pecker, neb”), German Schnabel (“beak, bill, mouth”). More at snap.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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snoop (third-person singular simple present snoops, present participle snooping, simple past and past participle snooped)

  1. To be devious and cunning so as not to be seen.
  2. To secretly spy on or investigate, especially into the private personal life of others.
    If I had not snooped on her, I wouldn't have found out that she lied about her degree.
    • 2008 September 25, David Hornsby, “Mac's Banging the Waitress” (1:38 from the start), in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia‎[1], season 4, episode 4, spoken by Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day):
      “Look, I tell you what, Mac. Seeing how as you're my best friend” “Yeah!” “Maybe you can look into it for me. Go snoop around the shop.” “Can-can I stop you for a second? I'm sorry. I'm a little confused here. You-you just said that he was your best friend? How is he your best friend over me?” “Well, I mean... You banged the waitress. Do I even have to explain that to you? That kind of rubbed me the wrong way, dude.” “Okay. I mean, you know, I don't see how that should factor into whether we're best friends or not. Y'know, to be honest with you, man, I'm a little shocked. I'm-I'm kinda-- I'm thunderstruck.” “Oh, well, I'm sorry, man. But y'know I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't mean to thunderstrike you. But that's just-- I don't know what to tell you. What do you want to hear?” “I need for you to explain to me how it is that you consider Mac to be a better friend to you.” “Look, now this is just becoming awkward when I have a real problem! And all of a sudden it's about some weird feelings thing! And it's not about your feelings right now! It's about my feelings 'cause I have a problem, okay?. Now, Mac, please, do you think you can find this guy and kick his ass for me?”
  3. (UK, slang, dated) To steal.
    • 1956, Charles Hamilton, The Banishing of Billy Bunter:
      'What on earth do Coker and his parcel of tuck matter to us? You're not thinking of snooping his tuck, I suppose, like Bunter.'
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Translations

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Noun

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snoop (plural snoops)

  1. The act of snooping.
  2. One who snoops.
    Be careful what you say around Gene because he's the bosses' snoop.
  3. A private detective.
    She hired a snoop to find out if her husband was having an affair.
    • 1992 February 2, Mitzel, “Clay Shaw, The Quean Network & That Kennedy Killing”, in Gay Community News, volume 19, number 28, page 12:
      Garrison's snoops regularly stole Kirkwood's mail while he was in New Orleans—only a federal offense.

Translations

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References

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  • 1996, T.F. Hoad, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Etymology, Oxford University Press, →ISBN

Anagrams

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