sneak

sneak

 (snēk)

v. sneaked or snuck (snŭk), sneak·ing, sneaks

v.intr.

1. To go or move in a quiet, stealthy way.

2. To behave in a cowardly or servile manner.

v.tr.

To move, give, take, or put in a quiet, stealthy manner: sneak candy into one's mouth; sneaked a look at the grade sheet.

n.

1. A person regarded as stealthy, cowardly, or underhanded.

2. An instance of sneaking; a quiet, stealthy movement.

3. Informal A sneaker.

adj.

1. Carried out in a clandestine manner: sneak preparations for war.

2. Perpetrated without warning: a sneak attack.

---

[Probably akin to Middle English sniken, to creep, from Old English snīcan.]

Usage Note: Snuck is an Americanism first introduced in the 1800s as a nonstandard regional variant of sneaked. Snuck probably arose in imitation of the pattern set by stick/stuck and strike/struck. Widespread use of snuck in the United States has become more common with every generation. It is now used by educated speakers in all regions and was acceptable to 75 percent of the Usage Panel in our 2008 survey. This stands in marked contrast to the 67 percent that disapproved of snuck twenty years earlier. The more traditional form sneaked, which predominates in British English, is fully acceptable as well, with 90 percent approving it in 2008.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

sneak

(sniːk)

vb

1. (intr; often foll by along, off, in, etc) to move furtively

2. (intr) to behave in a cowardly or underhand manner

3. (tr) to bring, take, or put stealthily

4. (intr) informal chiefly Brit to tell tales (esp in schools)

5. (tr) informal to steal

6. (intr; foll by off, out, away, etc) informal to leave unobtrusively

n

7. a person who acts in an underhand or cowardly manner, esp as an informer

8.

a. a stealthy act or movement

b. (as modifier): a sneak attack.

9. informal Brit an unobtrusive departure

[Old English snīcan to creep; from Old Norse snīkja to hanker after]

ˈsneaky adj

ˈsneakily adv

ˈsneakiness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

sneak

(snik)

v. sneaked or snuck, sneak•ing,
n., adj. v.i.

1. to go in a stealthy or furtive manner; slink; skulk.

2. to act in a furtive or underhand way.

v.t.

3. to move, put, pass, etc., in a stealthy or furtive manner: He sneaked the gun into his pocket.

4. to do, take, or have hurriedly or surreptitiously: to sneak a cigarette.

n.

5. a sneaking, underhand, or contemptible person.

6. a stealthy or furtive departure.

7. sneaker (def. 1).

adj.

8. stealthy; surreptitious: a sneak raid.

[1590–1600; obscurely akin to Middle English sniken, Old English snīcan to creep, c. Old Norse snīkja to hanker after]

syn: See lurk.

usage: First recorded in writing near the end of the 19th century in the U.S., snuck has become in recent decades a standard variant past tense and past participle: Bored by the lecture, we snuck out the side door. snuck occurs frequently in fiction, in journalism, and on radio and television, whereas sneaked is more likely in highly formal or belletristic writing. snuck is the only spoken past tense and past participle for many younger and middle-aged persons of all educational levels in the U.S. and Canada. It has occasionally been considered nonstandard but is so widely used by professional writers and educated speakers that it can no longer be so regarded.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

sneak

Past participle: sneaked
Gerund: sneaking

Imperative

sneak

sneak

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	sneak - a person who is regarded as underhanded and furtive and contemptible disagreeable person, unpleasant person - a person who is not pleasant or agreeable
	2.	sneak - someone who prowls or sneaks about; usually with unlawful intentions prowler, stalker interloper, intruder, trespasser - someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission
	3.	sneak - someone acting as an informer or decoy for the police canary, fink, snitch, stool pigeon, stoolie, stoolpigeon, snitcher, sneaker betrayer, blabber, informer, squealer, rat - one who reveals confidential information in return for money
Verb	1.	sneak - to go stealthily or furtively; "..stead of sneaking around spying on the neighbor's house" mouse, pussyfoot, creep walk - use one's feet to advance; advance by steps; "Walk, don't run!"; "We walked instead of driving"; "She walks with a slight limp"; "The patient cannot walk yet"; "Walk over to the cabinet" slip away, sneak away, sneak off, sneak out, steal away - leave furtively and stealthily; "The lecture was boring and many students slipped out when the instructor turned towards the blackboard"
	2.	sneak - put, bring, or take in a secretive or furtive manner; "sneak a look"; "sneak a cigarette" act, move - perform an action, or work out or perform (an action); "think before you act"; "We must move quickly"; "The governor should act on the new energy bill"; "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel"
	3.	sneak - make off with belongings of others   cabbage, filch, pilfer, purloin, snarf, swipe, abstract, nobble, pinch, hook, lift steal - take without the owner's consent; "Someone stole my wallet on the train"; "This author stole entire paragraphs from my dissertation"
	4.	sneak - pass on stealthily; "He slipped me the key when nobody was looking" slip hand, pass on, turn over, pass, reach, give - place into the hands or custody of; "hand me the spoon, please"; "Turn the files over to me, please"; "He turned over the prisoner to his lawyers"
Adj.	1.	sneak - marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed; "a furtive manner"; "a sneak attack"; "stealthy footsteps"; "a surreptitious glance at his watch" furtive, stealthy, surreptitious, sneaky concealed - hidden on any grounds for any motive; "a concealed weapon"; "a concealed compartment in his briefcase"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

sneak

verb

1. slink, slip, steal, creep, ghost, pad, tiptoe, sidle, skulk Don't sneak away and hide.

2. slip, smuggle, spirit He snuck me a cigarette.

3. snatch, steal, do something furtively or stealthily She sneaked a look at her watch.

noun

1. informer, grass (Brit. slang), betrayer, telltale, squealer (slang), Judas, accuser, stool pigeon, snake in the grass, nark (Brit., Austral., & N.Z. slang) He is disloyal, distrustful and a sneak.

adjective

1. secret, quick, clandestine, furtive, stealthy We can give you this exclusive sneak preview.

sneak up on something or someone creep up on, take by surprise, tiptoe up on I managed to sneak up on him.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

sneak

verb

1. To move silently and furtively:

creep, glide, lurk, mouse, prowl, pussyfoot, skulk, slide, slink, slip, snake, steal.

Slang: gumshoe.

2. To bring in or take out secretly:

smuggle, spirit.

noun

One who behaves in a stealthy, furtive way:

prowler, sneaker, weasel.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

إخْتَلَسَ، نَشَلَ، سَرَقَإنْسَلَّ، تَسَلَّلَخائِن، وَغْد

donašečplížit setajně vzít

listesladrehanksnige

Petzepetzenschleichensich schleichen

acusicachivatosoplóndelatarmoverse sigilosamente

hiipiähiippailijahiippaillahiipparihiiviskellä

cafteurglisserrapporteur

settenkedikspicli

hnuplalæîastlæîupoki; kjaftaskjóîa

codardofar la spiainsinuarsisgattaiolarespia

įsėlintipasalūniškassportiniai bateliaiveikimas iš pasalų

ielavītieslavītieslīdējsnočieptsūdzībnieks

gluiperd

donášačtajne vziať

odtihotapiti sepritihotapiti se

smyga

fitneci kimsegizlice almaksinsice sokulmak

偷潜行鬼鬼祟祟的人

sneak

[sniːk]

A. VT to sneak sth out of a place → sacar algo furtivamente de un lugar
I managed to sneak one in → logré meter uno sin ser visto
to sneak a look at sth → mirar algo de reojo or soslayo

B. VI

1. to sneak about → ir a hurtadillas, moverse furtivamente
to sneak in/out → entrar/salir a hurtadillas
to sneak away or off → escabullirse
to sneak off with sth → llevarse algo furtivamente
to sneak up on sb → acercarse sigilosamente a algn

2. to sneak on sb → delatar a algn, dar el soplo sobre algn, chivarse de algn (Sp)
to sneak to the teacher → ir con el cuento or (Sp) chivarse al profesor

C. N (= tale-teller) → chivato/a m/f, soplón/ona m/f

D. CPD sneak preview N [of film] → preestreno m; (gen) → anticipo m no autorizado
sneak thief N → ratero/a m/f
sneak visit N → visita f furtiva

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

sneak

[ˈsniːk]

vi
to sneak in → entrer furtivement
to sneak out → sortir furtivement
to sneak up on sb → s'approcher de qn sans faire de bruit

vt
to sneak a look at sth → regarder furtivement qch

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

sneak

n → Schleicher(in) m(f); (dated Brit Sch inf) → Petzer m, → Petze f (Sch inf)

vt he sneaked a cake off the counter → er klaute or stibitzte einen Kuchen vom Tresen (inf); to sneak something into a room → etw in ein Zimmer schmuggeln; to sneak a look at somebody/something → auf jdn/etw schielen

vi

to sneak about → herumschleichen; to sneak away or off → sich wegschleichen or -stehlen; to sneak in → sich einschleichen; to sneak past somebody → (sich) an jdm vorbeischleichen; to sneak up on somebody → sich an jdn heranschleichen

(dated Brit Sch inf: = tell tales) → petzen (inf); to sneak on somebody → jdn verpetzen (inf)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

sneak

[sniːk]

1. vt to sneak sth out of a place → portare fuori qc di nascosto da un luogo
to sneak a look at sth → dare una sbirciatina a qc
to sneak a quick cigarette → fumarsi una sigaretta di nascosto

2. vi

a. to sneak in/out → entrare/uscire di nascosto or di soppiatto
to sneak away or off → allontanarsi di nascosto or di soppiatto, squagliarsela
to sneak off with sth → portare via di soppiatto qc

b. to sneak on sb (fam) → fare la spia a qn

3. n (fam) (telltale) → spione/a

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

sneak

(sniːk) verb

1. to go quietly and secretly, especially for a dishonest purpose. He must have sneaked into my room when no-one was looking and stolen the money. sluip إنْسَلَّ، تَسَلَّلَ промъквам (се) esgueirar-se (v)plížit se sich schleichen snige κινούμαι στα κλεφτά, γλιστρώmoverse sigilosamente hiilima دزدكي رفت و آمد كردن hiipiä se faufiler furtivement לְהִתגַנֵב आंख बचाकर आना-जाना šuljati se settenkedik menyelinap læðast strisciare, andare furtivamente こそこそする 남몰래 들어오다(나가다) įsėlinti []lavīties menyelinap sluipensnike, liste seg, luske dostawać się chyłkiem, zakradać się ځان اېستل، ځان تېرول، غلچكى تلل: په غلاتېرول esgueirar-se a se furişa прокрадываться vkradnúť sa vtihotapiti se ušunjati se smyga ทำลับ ๆ ล่อ ๆ sinsice sokulmak 潛行 підкрадатися خفیہ طریقے سے، بری نیت سے جانا trốn, lén 潜行

2. to take secretly. He sneaked the letter out of her drawer. skelm uithaal إخْتَلَسَ، نَشَلَ، سَرَقَ отмъквам retirar tajně vzít heimlich nehmen liste παίρνω κρυφά, σουφρώνωsacar a escondidas näppama يواشكي دزديدن viedä salaa prendre furtivement לְהַגְנִיב चुपके से ले लेना ukrasti što, zdipiti elcsen mengambil diam-diam hnupla impossessarsi 盗む 몰래 가지다 nušvilpti nočiept mengambil senyap-senyap gappennappe, rappewykradać غلچكى تلل retirar a sustrage взять незаметно tajne vziať zmakniti krišom uzeti smyga, smussla แอบพาไป gizlice almak 偷 поцупити, украсти خاموشی سے چرا لینا ăn trộm, xoáy, lén 偷

noun

a mean, deceitful person, especially a telltale. verklikker خائِن، وَغْد подлец pessoa vil donašeč die Petze sladrehank μαρτυριάρης, δόλιοςacusica, acusón, chivato, soplón pealekaebaja, pugeja خبرچين kantelija rapporteur/-euse נוֹכֵל מוּג-לֵב तुच्छ व्यक्ति podlac, tužibaba spicli pengadu læðupoki; kjaftaskjóða spia こそこそする人 비열한 사람, 특히 고자질 하는 사람 sukčius līdējs; sūdzībnieks penipu gluiperd, klikspaansladrehankdonosiciel, kanalia چلباز، ډارن pessoa vil raportor ябеда, доносчик donášač ovaduh tužibaba skvallerbytta คนไม่น่าไว้ใจ fitneci kimse 鬼鬼祟祟的人 ябедник, фіскал چغل خور، دھوکے باز đứa hớt lẻo 鬼鬼祟祟的人

ˈsneakers noun plural

soft shoes with soles made of rubber, rope etc. He was wearing blue jeans and sneakers. seilskoene حِذاء ناعِم من المَطّاط гуменки sapatilhas tenisky leichte Segeltuchschuhe (pl.) gummisko; kondisko αθλητικά παπούτσιαzapatillas tennised, tossud كفش كتاني lenkkarit tennis נַעַל הִתעַמלוּת रबड़ के तले वाला मुलायम जूता tenisice edzőcipő sepatu karet íþróttaskór, strigaskór scarpe da ginnastica スニーカー 고무창 운동화 sportiniai bateliai teniskurpes kasut snikers tennisschoenen jogge-/tøysko tenisówki کفش کتانی sapatilhas pantofi de tenis теннисные тапочки tenisky teniški čevlji patike gymnastikskor รองเท้าผ้าใบส้นยาง keten ayakkabı 休閒鞋 кеди; тенісні туфлі نرم تلے کا کرمچ وغیرہ کا جوتا giầy để chơi quần vợt 软底鞋，球鞋

ˈsneaking adjective

(of a feeling) slight but not easy to suppress. She knew he was wicked but she had a sneaking admiration for his courage. heimlik خَفي، سِرّي скрит secreto nepřiznaný heimlich lumsk ανομολόγητος secreto sala-, salajane يواشكي salainen inavoué לא גָלוּי उपहासजनक लेकिन अदम्य भावना potajan, nepriznat be nem vallott sedikit dulinn segreto ひそかな (느낌의) 은근한 slaptas, paslėptas slepens; kluss sedikit heimelijksnikende, lumsk, hemmeligpodświadomy یواشکی secreto tainic, nemărturisit тайный, скрытый tichý skriven potajan outtalad, smygande ที่ซ่อนเร้น içten içe, gizli 卑怯的，畏縮的 таємний, потайний خفیہ، چھپا ڈھکا vụng trộm, thầm kín 暗中的，卑怯的，畏缩的

ˈsneaky adjective

It was a bit sneaky of him to tell the teacher about me. onderduims ماكِر، مُخادِع подъл mesquinho potměšilý heimtückisch lusket ύπουλος, κρυφόςmezquino alatu آب زير كاه luihu sournois כָּרוּך בְּמִרמָה उपहासजनक podao, gadan alattomos licik lymskulegur; ómerkilegur meschino, vile 卑劣な 비열한 pasalūniškas nekrietni licik achterbakssladderaktig, stygt gjortchytry, podstępny غلچكى، چلباز، درغل mesquinho viclean подлый potmehúdsky zahrbten podao skvallrig ซึ่งลับ ๆ ล่อ ๆ sinsi, hilekâr 鬼鬼祟祟的 боягузливий; підлий چپکے چپکے کارروائی کرنے والا lén lút, giấu giếm 鬼鬼祟祟的

ˈsneakiness noun

onderduimsheid مَكْر، خِداع подлост mesquinhez potměšilost die Heimtücke luskethed υπουλότητα mezquindad alatus آب زير كاهي luihuus sournoiserieחמקנות धोखेबाजी podlost, potajnost alattomosság kelicikan lymska meschineria こそこそすること 비열함 slaptumas, veikimas iš pasalų slepenība; nekrietnība kelicikan achterbaksheidlistighet podłość, podstępność د پروړى اوبو mesquinhez viclenie подлость potmehúdstvo zahrbtnost podlost smygande karaktär การหลบซ่อน sinsilik 鬼祟 потайливість گھنّاپن sự lén lút, sự giấu giếm 鬼祟

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