Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Snāke'-mŏss, n. p. 1249(Bot.) A plant of the genus Lycopodium (L. clavatum); club-moss. See LYCOPODIUM. Simmonds.Snāke'-nŭt, n. p. 1249(Bot.) The fruit of a tree of the genus Ophiocaryon (O. paradoxum), the embryo of which resembles a snake coiled up. It is found in Demarara. Lindley.Snake'-root, n. p. 1249(Bot.) One of several plants of different genera and species, most of which are, or were formerly, reputed to be efficacious as remedies for the bites of serpents, as the Virginia snakeroot…Snāke’s’-hĕad-ī’ris, n. p. 1249(Bot.) A bulbous plant (Iris tuberosa) of Arabia.Snāke'-stōne, n. p. 1249A kind of hone-slate or whet-stone obtained in Scotland. Simmonds. 2. (Palæon.) A fossil ammonite;—so called from its form, which resembles that of a coiled snake.Snāke'-weed, n. p. 1249(Bot.) (a.) A plant of the genus Polygonum; bistort. (b.) A plant of the genus Aristolochia (A. serpentaria).Snāke'wood, n. p. 1249(Bot.) (a.) A climbing plant (the Strychnos colubrina), growing in the Isle of Timor and other parts of the East, having a bitter taste, and supposed to be a certain remedy for the bite of the hooded…Snāk'ish, a. p. 1249Having the qualities of a snake; snaky.Snāk'y, a. p. 1249Pertaining to a snake, or to snakes; resembling a snake; serpentine; winding. 2. Sly; cunning; insinuating; deceitful. So to the coast of Jordan he directs His easy steps, girded with snak'y wiles.…Snāp, v. t. p. 1249To break at once; to break short, as substances that are brittle. “Breaks the doors open, snaps the locks.” Prior. 2. To strike with a sharp sound. 3. To bite or seize suddenly, especially with the…Snāp, v. i. p. 1249To break short; to part asunder suddenly; as, a mast or spar snaps; a needle snaps. But this weapon will snap short, unfaithful to the hand that employs it. Burke. 2. To make an effort to bite; to…Snapping turtle p. 1249a kind of tortoise found in the fresh waters of the United States, which, when enraged, snaps at any thing near it; Chelydra serpentina. Agassiz.Snāp, n. p. 1249A sudden breaking or rupture of any substance. 2. A sudden, eager bite; a sudden seizing, or effort to seize, with the teeth. 3. A crack of a whip, or a similar sound. 4. A greedy fellow. L’Estrange.…Snāp'-būg, n. p. 1249(Entom.) A snap or skip-jack. See SNAP, 8.Snāp'drāg-on, n. p. 1249(Bot.) A plant of the genus Antirrhinum, the showy corollas of some species of which resemble the face of an animal or a mask. 2. A play in which raisins or sweetmeats are snatched from burning…Snāp'hançe, n. p. 1249A spring lock for discharging a fire-arm; also, the arm to which it is attached. Halliwell. 2. A trifling thing or person; a snap of the fingers. “Payeth me with snaphances.” Marston.Snāp'-lŏck, n. p. 1249A lock shutting with a catch or snap.Snāp'per, n. p. 1249One who, or that which, snaps. Red snapper (Ichth.), a fish of the shores of the Mexican Gulf; the Serranus erythrogaster.Snāp'pish, a. p. 1249Eager to bite; apt to snap; as, a snappish cur. 2. Sharp in reply; apt to speak angrily or tartly; peevish. “The taunting address of a snappish misanthrope.” Jeffrey.Snāp'pish-ly, adv. p. 1249In a snappish manner; peevishly; angrily; tartly.Snāp'pish-ness, n. p. 1249The quality of being snappish; peevishness; tartness.Snāp'py, a. p. 1249Snappish. [Rare.]Snāp'sack, n. p. 1249A knapsack. [Obs. or vulgar.] South.Snār, v. i. p. 1249To snarl. [Obs.] Spenser.Snāre, n. p. 1249A contrivance consisting often of a noose of cords, or the like, by which a bird or other living creature may be entangled; a trap; a catch; a wile. 2. Hence, any thing by which one is entangled and…Snāre, v. t. p. 1249To catch with a snare; to insnare; to entangle; to bring into unexpected evil, perplexity, or danger. “To hellish falsehood snare them.” Milton.Snār'er, n. p. 1249One who lays snares, or entangles.Snārl, v. i. p. 1249To growl, as an angry or surly dog; to gnarl; to utter grumbling sounds. An angry cur Snarls while he feeds. Dryden. 2. To speak roughly; to talk in rude, murmuring terms. It is malicious and unmanly…Snārl, v. t. p. 1250To entangle; to complicate; to involve in knots; as, to snarl the hair; to snarl a skein of thread. 2. To embarrass; to insnare. This was their question that they would have snarled him with. Latimer.Snārl, n. p. 1250A knot or complication of hair, thread, or the like, which it is difficult to disentangle; entanglement; hence, intricate complication; embarrassing difficulty. 2. A contention or quarrel. [Prov.…Snārl, v. t. p. 1250To raise or form hollow work in, as sheet metal, such as narrow vases, by the repercussion of an elastic tool or snarling-iron when struck by a hammer.Snārl'er, n. p. 1250One who snarls; a surly, growling animal; a grumbling, quarrelsome fellow. 2. One who makes use of a snarling-iron.Snār'l'ing-ī'ron, n. p. 1250A tool with a long beak, used in the process of snarling. When one end is held in a vise, and the shank struck with a hammer, the repercussion of the other end or beakSnār'y, a. p. 1250Resembling or consisting of snares; entangling; insidious. [Rare.] Spiders in the vault their snary webs have spread. Dryden.Snāst, n. p. 1250The snuff of a candle. [Obs.] Bacon.Snātch, v. t. p. 1250To seize hastily, abruptly, or without permission or ceremony; as, to snatch a kiss. When half our knowledge we must snatch, not take. Pope. 2. To seize and transport away; to rap. “Snatch me to…Snătch, v. i. p. 1250To attempt to seize something suddenly; to catch. Nay, the ladies too will be snatching. Shak.Snătch, n. p. 1250A hasty catch or seizing. 2. A catching at or attempt to seize suddenly. 3. A short period of vigorous action; as, a snatch at weeding after a shower. They move by fits and snatches. Wilkins. 4. A…Snătch'-blŏck, n. p. 1250(Naut.) A kind of block used in ships, having an opening in one side to receive the bight of a rope. Mar. Dict.Snătch'er, n. p. 1250One who snatches or takes abruptly.Snātch'ing-ly, adv. p. 1250By snatching hastily; abruptly.Snāth, n. p. 1250The handle of a scythe. [N. Eng.]Snāthe, v. t. p. 1250To lop; to prune. [Obs.]Snāt'tock, n. p. 1250A chip; a slice. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Gayton.Snēad, n. p. 1250The handle of a scythe; snath. See SNATH. 2. A line or cord; a string. [Prov. Eng.]Snēak, v. i. p. 1250To creep or steal away privately; to withdraw meanly, as a person afraid or ashamed to be seen; as, to sneak away from company. You skulked behind the fence, and sneaked away. Dryden. 2. To behave…Snēak, v. t. p. 1250To hide, especially in a mean or cowardly manner. [Obs.] Wake.Snēak, n. p. 1250A mean, sneaking fellow. “A set of . . . superstitious sneaks.” Glanville.Snēak'-cūp, n. p. 1250One who sneaks from his cups; one who balks his glass. [Obs.] Shak.Snēak'er, n. p. 1250A small vessel of drink. [Prov. Eng.]Snēak'i-ness, n. p. 1250The same as SNEAKINGNESS.Snēak'ing, p. a. p. 1250Marked by cowardly concealment; deficient in openness and courage; mean; servile; crouching. 2. Meanly parsimonious; covetous; niggardly.Snēak'ing-ly, adv. p. 1250In a sneaking manner; meanly.Snēak'ing-ness, n. p. 1250The quality of being sneaking; meanness; niggardliness.Snēaks'by, n. p. 1250A paltry fellow; a coward; a sneak. [Obs. and rare.] “Such a conscientious simpleton; such a bashful sneak-by.” Barrow.Snēap, v. t. p. 1250To check; to reprove abruptly; to reprimand; to rebuke. Chaucer. 2. To nip. Biron is like an envious, sneaping frost. Shak.Snēap, n. p. 1250A reprimand; a rebuke. [Obs.] My lord, I will not undergo this sneap without reply. Shak.Snēath or Snēathe, n. p. 1250See SNATH.Snĕb, v. t. p. 1250To reprimand. See SNEAP. [Obs.] Spenser.Snĕck, n. p. 1250A door-latch. [Scot.] Halliwell.