sneak

== English == === Etymology === 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. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /sniːk/ Rhymes: -iːk === Noun === sneak (plural sneaks) One who sneaks; one who moves stealthily to acquire an item or information. The act of sneaking A cheat; a con artist. Synonyms: con artist, trickster; see also Thesaurus:confidence trickster, Thesaurus:deceiver An informer; a tell-tale. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:informant (obsolete, cricket) A ball bowled so as to roll along the ground; a daisy-cutter (US) A sneaker; a tennis shoe. (American football) A play where the quarterback receives the snap and immediately dives forward. (movie theaters) Ellipsis of sneak preview (slang, derogatory) An unworthy or deceptive entry in a list of high-ranking people or things. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Verb === sneak (third-person singular simple present sneaks, present participle sneaking, simple past and past participle sneaked or snuck) (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. Synonyms: skulk, steal, slink (transitive) To take something stealthily without permission. Synonym: steal (ditransitive) To stealthily bring someone something. (transitive, dated) To hide, especially in a mean or cowardly manner. (intransitive, informal, with on) To inform an authority of another's misdemeanours. Synonyms: grass, snitch, tell tales ==== Usage notes ==== 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. It is still regarded as informal by some, but its use appears to be increasing in frequency and acceptability. It is occasionally found in British, Irish and Australian English, too, though regarded as an American form. (See Oxford Dictionaries, The Cambridge Guide to English Usage, Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, Webster's New World College Dictionary.) Informally, snook is also often found as the past tense. It is considered nonstandard. To sneak (take) 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, while steal indicates a more serious action and often the person stealing does not know the owner of the item being stolen. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === sneak (not comparable) In advance; before release to the general public. In a stealthy or surreptitious manner. ==== Derived terms ==== sneak attack sneak peek sneak preview === Anagrams === kaens, akens, nakes, skean, Keans, snake, Kasen, kenas, Snake, asken, Skåne == Dutch == === Etymology === Borrowed from English sneak. === Verb === sneak inflection of sneaken: first-person singular present indicative (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative imperative