ˈsnarl-up colloq.
[f. vbl. phr. to snarl up: see snarl v.1 2 c, 3.]
A muddle, state of confusion; a mistake; a traffic jam; a blockage. Also attrib.
| 1960 M. Phillips in Analog Sci. Fact/Fiction Nov. 24/1 Both courses..resulted in more snarl-ups. Reports that should have been sent in weeks before arrived too late; reports meant for the eyes of only one man were turned out in triplicate. 1962 J. Braine Life at Top xi. 152 There was going to be a huge snarl-up very soon. 1963 Daily Tel. 3 June 1/1 On what the AA described as ‘snarl-up Sunday’ there were queues of up to 19 miles on several major arteries. 1966 Musical Opinion Aug. 691/1 The main cause of the brouhaha about electronic instruments is a snarl-up in terminology. 1969 Daily Tel. 10 Jan. 1/2 Sixty-three people were injured and more than 100 vehicles smashed up as freezing fog gripped the M1 and M10 yesterday... The AA described it as ‘the worst snarl-up since the M1 opened’. 1974 Financial Times 15 Mar. 23/7 Small organisation snarl-ups, such as failing to get out the Speakers' Handbook in time. 1977 ‘E. Crispin’ Glimpses of Moon xi. 220 A helicopter..dipped to examine the snarl-up in the lane below. |