▪ I. snarl, n.1
(snɑːl)
Also 4, 7–8 snarle, 9 dial. snarrel.
[f. snare n. or v.: see -le 1.]
1. A snare, gin; a noose. Obs. exc. dial. Also fig.
| c 1380 Metr. Hom. (Vernon MS.) in Herrig Archiv LVII. 247/1 Lord, what þing schal passe quite And in þeos snarles not beo tan. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 385 Maydens of Athene were compelled as it were to snarles and grenes. Ibid. VI. 27 To brynge þe peple þat was so bygiled þe faster in snarl. 1601 Breton Blessed Weeper xxi, Shame bad me weepe..to feele how I was feltred in The wretched snarles of wicked nature's knots. 1829 Brockett N.C. Gloss. (ed. 2), Snarl, the snare itself, made of wire. 1893 in Eng. Dial. Dict. s.v., They put this snarl or snirrup roond t' gills an' click t' fish oot. |
2. a. A tangle, knot, ravel, as in the hair.
| 1609 Ev. Woman in Hum. v. i. in Bullen O. Pl. IV, Curle not the snarles that dwell upon these browes. 1611 Cotgr., Grippets,..the rufflings, or snarles of ouer-twisted thread. 1741 Compl. Family-Piece ii. ii. 331 Let your Hair be round,..twist it neatly without Gaping or Snarles. 1750 Glandville in W. Ellis Mod. Husb. IV. ii. 73, I found it [the hairworm] to twist itself all up into a close Snarle. 1836 Haliburton Clockm. xviii. (1862) 79 To wind off a snarl of ravellins as slick as if it were on a reel. 1854 Susan Warner Old Helmet I. 113 The green silk was in a great snarl. 1897 Outing XXX. 434/2 The worm..lying upon the bottom like a snarl of black thread. 1966 J. S. Cox Illustr. Dict. Hairdressing & Wigmaking 139/2 Snarl, a tangle in the hair. 1976 ‘Trevanian’ Main (1977) xiii. 243 A young slattern who tugs a snarl out of her hair with her fingers. |
b. fig. or in fig. context. traffic snarl (U.S. colloq.), a traffic jam.
| 1631 Quarles Samson xii, The day's at hand, wherein thou must untie The Riddle's tangled Snarle. 1675 J. Smith Chr. Relig. App. i. 18 Here was..a snarle in his fortune requiring the aid of a Divine Solution. 1710 S. Palmer Proverbs 73 That men and women shou'd be..in a continu'd snarle, contradiction, hatred, and infinite disorders. 1860 [Mrs. M. C. Harris] Rutledge 111 Dorothy has got her account with the grocer in a great snarl. 1889 Spectator 13 Apr., Our children will see how this Irish snarl is unravelled. 1933 E. B. White Let. Mar. (1976) 113 At noon I happened to be driving north on Fourth Avenue, and got held up in a traffic snarl. 1950 J. D. MacDonald Brass Cupcake ii. 18, I dove slowly back into the traffic snarl. 1968 S. Challis Death on Quiet Beach iii. 30 The traffic was a slow snarl that cost him forty minutes. 1975 New Yorker 19 May 99/1 The traffic snarls were impenetrable. 1979 Arizona Daily Star 5 Aug. d3/3 Production snarls kept cars out of the showroom. 1980 R. L. Duncan Brimstone iv. 65 The congressional reorganization studies..were resulting in a snarl of immense proportions. |
3. U.S. A swarm, large number.
| 1775 in O. E. Winslow Amer. Broadside Verse (1930) 141/2, I see another snarl of men. 1825 J. Neal Bro. Jonathan I. 76 There being ‘a pootty consid'r'ble snarl o' gals, I guess’ the supper was bravely furnished. 1836 W. Dunlap Mem. Water Drinker (1837) II. iii. 24 They swarm like a snarl of bees before hiving. 1855 F. M. Whitcher Widow Bedott P. xxiii, A cheaper minister, and one that hadn't such a snarl o' young ones. 1904 N.Y. Tribune 10 Apr. (Suppl.) 7/3 A veritable snarl of street urchins took possession of several benches in Lincoln Park. |
4. A knot in wood. (Cf. snarly a.1 2.)
| 1881– in dial. glossaries (Leic., Warw.). a 1891 Tribune Book of Sports 12 (Cent.), Let Italian or Spanish yew be the wood, clear of knots, snarls, and cracks. |
5. attrib. and Comb., as snarl-headed adj., snarl-knot, snarl-preventer.
| 1790 R. Tyler Contrast ii. ii. (1887) 39 The snarl-headed curs fell a-kicking and cursing of me. 1847 Halliw., Snarl⁓knot, a very intricate one. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Snarl-Knot, a northern expression for a knot that cannot be drawn loose. 1884 Illustr. Lond. N. 27 Sept. 291/1 Mr. Brooks's ‘Snarl preventor’ is a new form of thread-wire which pounces on snarled threads. |
▪ II. snarl, n.2
(snɑːl)
[f. snarl v.2]
An act of snarling; a display of the teeth accompanied by an angry sound. Freq. fig.
| 1613 E. Hoby (title), A Counter Snarle for Ishmael Rabshacheh. 1653 W. Ramesey Astrol. Restored To Rdr. 4, [I] content my self to incur all the Currish Snarls..of the envious. 1832 W. Irving Alhambra II. 178 With the wary side glance of a cur..ready for a snap and a snarl. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xiv. III. 393 A sum..which he took with the savage snarl of disappointed greediness. 1885 Ruskin Pleas. Eng. 147 The mocking snarl and ruthless blow of the Puritan. |
| transf. 1889 Doyle M. Clarke 189 The blare of trumpets and the long deep snarl of the drums. |
▪ III. snarl, v.1
(snɑːl)
Also 5 snarlyn, 5–7 snarle.
[Cf. snarl n.1
In R. Brunne Chron. Wace 4629 (Ropes ryueled, & swerued in lyne) the reading suarled cited from the Petyt MS. should prob. be snarled in sense 2 or 3; the construction is not quite clear.]
1. a. trans. To catch in a snare or noose; to entangle or secure with a cord, rope, etc.; to strangle. Now dial.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xviii. xv. (Bodl. MS.), Þee hunter..knowyþ þat þe beeste is i-snarled and faste yholde. Ibid. lxxix, Sicut orix allaqueatus, as Orix is isnarled. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 461/2 Snaryn, or snarlyn, illaqueo. a 1470 H. Parker Dives & Pauper (W. de W. 1493) ix. vii. G ij b, They [sc. sheep] ben so..snarled amonges brembles and thornes that they may nat go away. 1563 Foxe A. & M. 1255/2 He made him priuely to be snarled, and his flesh to be torn. 1565 Cooper, Laqueus, an halter: any thyng that one is snarled or tied with. 1602 Rowlands Greenes Ghost 36 With his necke snarled in an hempen halter. 1648 J. Beaumont Psyche ix. cclxxv, So may all Rebels find their shameless feet Snarled for evermore in their own Net. 1829 Brockett N.C. Gloss. (ed. 2), Snarl, to insnare; as to snarl hares. 1849– in dial. glossaries, etc. (Northumb., Durham, Cumb., Leic., etc.). |
| refl. 1530 Palsgr. 723/2 My grayhounde had almost snarled hym selfe to night in his own leesse. 1580 Blundevil Horsemanship iv. 60 b, A Horse..being laid, and the halter slacke about his feete,..he snarleth himselfe, so as he is not able to get vp. |
b. fig. To ensnare, entangle, entrap.
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 431 Þe kyng..snarlede hem wiþ sotil sophyms. c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton) i. i. (1859) 2 That no pylgrym escape, that he ne shal be snarlyd in my trappe. 1447 O. Bokenham Seyntys (Roxb.) 192 Wyth þi treccherous sotylte Us to snarlyn þou besyist þe. 1545 Joye Exp. Dan. viii. S iv, To studye by what engyns mennes myndes might be trapped and snarled. 1593 Nashe Christ's T. Wks. (Grosart) IV. 148 Their wealth, they make no other vse of but to snarle and enwrappe men with. 1641 ‘Smectymnuus’ Vind. Answ. xiii. 121 Foreseeing how his owne words would snarle him, if he should grant them all Bishops. |
| refl. a 1470 H. Parker Dives & Pauper (W. de W. 1493) ix. vii. G ij b, They snarle themself so in dett & in false richesses. 1551 Cranmer Answ. Gardiner 168 You snarle youre selfe into so many and heynouse absurdites. 1597 J. Payne Royal Exch. 37 Let vs not..snarle and intangle our selves with over moche toyle and care of the world. c 1680 Hickeringill Hist. Whiggism i. Wks. 1716 I. 37 They lose themselves, and snarl themselves and the Holy Text, so that they never find the right end. |
2. a. To tangle; to twist together confusedly; to make a tangle of. Now chiefly dial. and U.S.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 439/1 Ruffelyn, or snarlyn, innodo. c 1440 Partonope 2300 Hys swerde is broken; the other tweyn [swords] be Snarled in the sheeldes ryght fast. 1570 Levins Manip. 32/21 To Snarle, contrahere. 1578 Lyte Dodoens 97 It bringeth forth many tender branches full of knotty joynts, entangled and snarled, or wrapped one in another. 1606 S. Gardiner Bk. Angling 22 The mudde of this place doth pollute the nette, snarle it, and hurte it. a 1687 H. More Cont. Remark. St. (1689) 424 The Daughter had..her Hair snarled and matted together. a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Snarl, to twist, entangle, and knot together. 1847 Prescott Peru (1855) II. 165 Mangrove trees with their complicated roots snarled into formidable coils under the water. 1894 Outing XXIII. 404/1 The head tide had snarled the trawls badly. |
| absol. 1890 E. L. Bynner Begum's Dau. xxxvii, The begum made bad work of her embroidery in those days; she snarled and knotted, and cut and ravelled. |
b. fig. To render complicated or confused.
| 1653 tr. Przipcovius' Diss. de Pace 15 You do not comprehend doctrines snarled and entangled with so many knots. 1675 J. Smith Chr. Relig. App. i. 44, I would thus unty these knots with which he snarles this story. 1701 J. Norris Ess. Theory Ideal World i. 414 'Tis the want of this Distinction..that has..so snarl'd and perplex'd this Question. 1901 Jrnl. Sch. Geogr. Nov. 340 His starting point..being different.., everything else must be snarled hopelessly. |
c. to snarl up: to throw into confusion, to mess up; to entangle, to impede the smooth running of (something). colloq.
| 1937 C. Day Lewis Starting Point i. iii. 49 He short-punted ahead, snarling up the defence. 1957 J. F. Horner Summary of Scientology vi. 67 Self-processing tends only to snarl-up the person attempting it. 1960 Economist 22 Oct. 317/2 A..wish to snarl up the relations between the western governments. 1962 Listener 5 July 36/2 Private cars are increasing at such a rate..that the roads will be snarled up. 1976 Daily Tel. 22 June 1/3 The Conservatives snarled up Government business by ceasing the pairing of MPs and other co-operation. 1981 Sunday Express 25 Oct. (heading) 150,000 marchers snarl up London. |
3. intr. To become twisted or entangled; to get into, or form, tangles or knots. Also fig. and with up.
| 1600 Holland Livy xxxi. xxxix. 797 Their speares..snarling within the boughes and branches of trees..hindered them verie much. 1613 J. Dennys Secr. Angling i. x, Then twist them finely... But not too hard or slacke,..Least slacke they snarle, or hard they proue vnsound. 1681 J. Chetham Angler's Vade-m. xxx. §5 (1689) 177 Which will cause the wyre to be more tough and not so apt to snarl, or break. 1835 Ure Philos. Manuf. 226 To cause it to snarl into a knot when left free to turn on itself. 1884 W. S. B. M{supc}Laren Spinning 155 The yarn tends to ‘snarl’ and curl, and cannot be drawn out straight. 1951 Manch. Guardian Weekly 19 Apr. 5/3 The traffic clears quickly at times, when it might otherwise snarl—which is the American way of saying it might ‘cause an inextricable jam’. 1963 Listener 14 Feb. 300/2 The action..snarls up into an obtrusive expressionism. 1970 G. F. Newman Sir, You Bastard viii. 201 Traffic snarled eastwards along Brompton Road at a snail's pace. |
▪ IV. snarl, v.2
(snɑːl)
Also 6–8 snarle (7 snarlle).
[f. snar v.: see -le 3, and cf. gnarl v.1]
1. intr. Of dogs, etc.: To make an angry sound accompanied by showing the teeth.
| 1589 R. Harvey Pl. Perc. 9 Yf he snarle like a cur at vs, why should not we prouide a Bastinado for him? 1631 Quarles Samson xv, T'one skulks and snarles, the t'other tugges and hales. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 692 The gaping three-mouth'd Dog forgets to snarl. a 1732 Boston Crook in Lot (1805) 38 A dog snarls at a stone, but looks not at the hand that cast it. 1814 Scott Ld. of Isles iii. xxxii, While o'er those caitiffs, where they lie, The wolf shall snarl. 1861 Morn. Post 12 Nov., The bear snarled, but crawled on. 1889 Ruskin Præterita III. 48 Their dogs barked and snarled irreconcileably. |
| fig. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. ii. i. i, Such Patriotism as snarls dangerously and shows teeth. 1842 Tennyson Locksley Hall 106 Nations..snarling at each other's heels. 1866 B. Taylor Poems, The Test 414, I hear the angry trumpet snarling. |
2. Of persons: To quarrel; to grumble viciously; to show strong resentment or ill-feeling.
| 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, i. iii. 188 What? were you snarling all before I came,..And turne you all your hatred now on me? 1612 Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. 1653 Pref. 12 Hee is not ignorant, that a large broode of pregnant wits..will snarl. 1689 Muses Farew. to Popery 28 When Servants snarl, we ought to kick 'em out. 1709 Prior The Ladle x, Kissing to Day, to Morrow snarling. a 1776 in Herd Anc. & Mod. Sc. Songs II. 208 The surly auld carl did naething but snarl. 1843 James Forest Days ii, Don't let me find you snarling with a gentleman's servants again. 1894 G. M. Fenn In Alpine Valley i. 6, I should have snarled, written my cheque, and paid. |
b. Const. against or at a person or thing.
| 1593 Nashe Four Lett. Conf. Wks. (Grosart) II. 196 Thy hot-spirited brother Richard..snarld priuily at Pap-hatchet, Pasquill, and others. 1624 Gataker Transubst. 39 Lest the Heretiques should be snarling at us. c 1640 H. Bell Luther's Colloq. Mens. (1652) 154 No man giveth a fillip for the Gospel, but all do snarl against it. 1715 J. Chappelow Right Way Rich (1717) 161 Let wicked men snarl and grin at you now. 1881 Leicester Gloss. 245 Jane snarls an' snags at Lizzy. |
c. To give out a snarling noise.
| 1675 Covel in Early Voy. Levant (Hakl. Soc.) 246 The manner of the Christians buriall here is much the same; all have the Praeficae [hired mourners], who sing (or rather howl and snarlle out). |
3. trans. To utter in a harsh, rude, or ill-natured manner.
| 1693 Congreve Old Bach. i. iv, Where hast thou been snarling odious truths, and entertaining company..with discourse of their diseases? 1839 Dickens Nich. Nick. iii, ‘Who indeed!’ snarled Ralph. 1866 Geo. Eliot F. Holt xlv, When the wicked Tempter is tired of snarling that word failure in a man's cell. 1893 Times 18 May 9/4 They would..confine themselves to snarling complaints. |
4. To put down with snarling.
| a 1873 Lytton K. Chillingley iv. ix, I can't bear to see a man snarled and sneered down..by..rivals. |
5. refl. To bring into a certain condition by snarling.
| a 1849 Southey in Life, etc. I. v. 306 He has a most critic-like voice, as if he had snarled himself hoarse. |
▪ V. snarl, v.3 techn.
(snɑːl)
[? f. snarl n.1 4.]
trans. To raise, or force up, into bosses or projections by the use of the snarling-iron.
| 1688 [implied in snarling vbl. n.3]. 1843 Holtzapffel Turning I. 412 If from the shape of the works swage tools..cannot be employed for raising the projecting parts, they are snarled-up. 1851–3 Tomlinson's Cycl. Usef. Arts II. 431/1 With them the snarled-up parts are corrected. |