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snarl

verb
/ˈsnɑː(ɹ)l/

Etymology

Frequentative of earlier snar (“to growl”), perhaps from Middle Low German snorren (“to drone”), of probably imitative origin. Equivalent to snar + -le. Related to German schnarren (“to rattle”) and schnurren (“to hum, buzz”).

  1. inherited from snarlen

Definitions

  1. To entangle

    To entangle; to complicate; to involve in knots.

    • to snarl a skein of thread
    • And from her backe her garments she did teare, / And from her head oft rent her snarled heare[…]

  2. To become entangled.

  3. To place in an embarrassing situation

    To place in an embarrassing situation; to ensnare; to make overly complicated.

    • November 9, 1550, Hugh Latimer, Sermon Preached at Stanford [the] question that they would have snarled him with
  4. ›+ 11 more definitions

    1. To be congested in traffic, or to make traffic congested.

    2. To form raised work upon the outer surface of (thin metal ware) by the repercussion of a…

      To form raised work upon the outer surface of (thin metal ware) by the repercussion of a snarling iron upon the inner surface; to repoussé

    3. A knot or complication of hair, thread, or the like, difficult to disentangle.

    4. An intricate complication

      An intricate complication; a problematic difficulty; a knotty or tangled situation.

    5. A slow-moving traffic jam.

      • The biggest cities feel the most acute impact of the last mile – of the squads of trucks and vans, the parcel hubs and sorting centres, the parking snarls and the discarded boxes.

    6. To growl angrily by gnashing or baring the teeth

      To growl angrily by gnashing or baring the teeth; to gnarl; to utter grumbling sounds.

    7. To complain angrily

      To complain angrily; to utter growlingly.

    8. To speak crossly

      To speak crossly; to talk in rude, surly terms.

      • It is malicious and unmanly to snarl at the little lapses of a pen, from which Virgil himself stands not exempted.

    9. The act of snarling

      The act of snarling; a growl; a surly or peevish expression; an angry contention.

    10. A growl, for example that of an angry or surly dog, or similar

      A growl, for example that of an angry or surly dog, or similar; grumbling sounds.

    11. A squabble.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for snarl. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA