▪ I. sniggle, n.1
(ˈsnɪg(ə)l)
[f. sniggle v.1]
A baited hook or other device used in sniggling for eels, etc.
| 1837 Hood Ode to Dr. Hahnemann iii, When Anhalt-Coethen babies wriggle, Like eels just caught by sniggle. 1848 [W. F. Campbell] Life in Normandy (1863) I. 183 There may be one [lobster there] now. I will make the girl try, if she has brought her sniggle with her. Ibid. 184 He saw that she had a sniggle stick stuck into the string of her petticoat. |
▪ II. sniggle, n.2
(ˈsnɪg(ə)l)
[f. sniggle v.2]
A snigger or snicker.
| 1852 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. viii. 54 Marks patronised his joke by a quiet introductory sniggle. 1887 Rider Haggard Jess xxxii, A fierce sound—half sniggle, half laugh. |
▪ III. ˈsniggle, n.3 dial.
[Dim. of snig n.1]
A snig or small eel.
| 1863 Wise New Forest xii. 125 The Avon flows close by, famous for a peculiar eel, locally called the ‘sniggle’ (anguilla mediorostris). 1879–83 in dial. glossaries (Hants., Shrops.). |
▪ IV. sniggle, v.1
(ˈsnɪg(ə)l)
[See sniggling vbl. n.
Fletcher's Thierry & Theod. ii. ii. ‘I haue snigled him’ is cited by Todd and later Dicts. as an early example of this verb; but the correct reading is doubtless ‘singled’ (cf. single v. 2 and 3).]
1. a. intr. To fish for eels by the method known as sniggling.
| 1671 Skinner Etymol. Ling. Angl., To Sniggle, vox Piscatoribus satis nota. 1775 Ash, Sniggle, to fish for eels by putting a bait to the holes in which they conceal themselves. 1799 G. Smith Laboratory II. 275 How to sniggle for Eels. 1833 Bowlker's Art of Angling 96 To sniggle for Eels procure a strong top rod, or a long hazel stick [etc.]. 1867 Burnard Happy Thoughts iii. 17, I ask ‘Sniggle for chub?’ He..answers, ‘No, sniggle for eels’. |
b. trans. To fish for, catch, pull out (an eel or eels) in this way.
| 1844 Badham Prose Halieutics 390 As wily anglers sniggling eels The approved device employ. 1867 F. Francis Angling iii. (1880) 89 Sniggling an old eel out of his hole..is not altogether unamusing. |
2. trans. To catch (fish) by means of striking a hook into them.
| 1834 Medwin Angler in Wales II. 197 Charters has since sniggled abundance of trout. 1894 Sat. Rev. 6 Jan. 15/1 These noble salmon, netted, speared, sniggled, very likely. |
Hence ˈsniggled ppl. a.
| 1844 Tupper Crock of G. xlvi. 294 He wriggled like a sniggled eel. |
▪ V. sniggle, v.2
(ˈsnɪg(ə)l)
[Imitative.]
intr. To snigger or snicker.
| 1815 Scott Guy M. lii, As for the Dominie,..he looked at Lucy—he whimpered—he sniggled—he grinned. 1840 C. Brontë in Mrs. Gaskell Life (1857) I. 215 [The preacher] did not whine; he did not sniggle. 1889 Gunter That Frenchman vi, At which flattery the other sniggles and calls him a wit. |
Hence ˈsniggling ppl. a.
| 1826 Scott Woodst. xii, Wildrake laughed without ceremony,..and was joined by a sniggling response from behind the cupboard. |
▪ VI. ˈsniggle, v.3 dial. or colloq.
[Of doubtful origin. Cf. Norw. snygla to sponge, beg.]
1. intr. a. (See quot. 1837). b. To wriggle, crawl, creep stealthily.
| 1837 J. F. Palmer Gloss. Devon Dialogue, To Sniggle, (at taw) to shuffle the hand forwards in an unfair manner; Unde Sniggler. 1881 Leicestersh. Gloss. 247 Sniggle,..to wriggle away. 1900 F. A. Steel Hosts of the Lord xxiii, There's a brute trying to sniggle along the wall. |
2. trans. To get (a thing) in surreptitiously.
| 1881 Oxfordsh. Gloss. 98 Sniggle in, to get anything in an underhand manner. 1900 Pollok & Thom Sports Burma vi. 190, I calculated that if I were successful in my application I could sniggle in those two days as well. |