sneak

Meanings

Noun

• One who sneaks; one who moves stealthily to acquire an item or information.
• The act of sneaking
• A cheat; a con artist.
• An informer; a tell-tale.
• A ball bowled so as to roll along the ground; a daisy-cutter
• A sneaker; a tennis shoe.
• A play where the quarterback receives the snap and immediately dives forward.

Verb

• To creep or go stealthily; to come or go while trying to avoid detection, as a person who does not wish to be seen.
• To take something stealthily without permission.
• To stealthily bring someone something.
• To hide, especially in a mean or cowardly manner.
• To inform an authority of another's misdemeanours.

Adjective

• In advance; before release to the general public.
• In a stealthy or surreptitious manner.

Origin

• Possibly from Middle English sniken, from Old English snīcan, from Proto-West Germanic *snīkan, from Proto-Germanic *snīkaną, which is related to the root of snake. Compare Danish snige, Swedish snika, Icelandic sníkja.