snarl

verb

/snɑːl/

/snɑːrl/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they snarl	/snɑːl/ /snɑːrl/
he / she / it snarls	/snɑːlz/ /snɑːrlz/
past simple snarled	/snɑːld/ /snɑːrld/
past participle snarled	/snɑːld/ /snɑːrld/
-ing form snarling	/ˈsnɑːlɪŋ/ /ˈsnɑːrlɪŋ/

Phrasal Verbs

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[intransitive] snarl (at somebody/something) (of dogs, etc.) to show the teeth and make a deep angry noise in the throat
- The dog snarled at us.
Topics Animalsc2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- angrily
- savagely
- viciously
- …
preposition
- at
See full entry
[transitive] to speak in a rough, low, angry voice
- + speech (at somebody) ‘Get out of here!’ he snarled.
- snarl something (at somebody) She snarled abuse at anyone who happened to walk past.
- He snarled savagely at her.
Topics Feelingsc2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- angrily
- savagely
- viciously
- …
preposition
- at
See full entry

Word Originverb late 16th cent.: extension of obsolete snar, of Germanic origin; related to German schnarren ‘rattle, snarl’, probably imitative. snarl up, snarl something up. late Middle English (in the senses ‘snare, noose’ and ‘catch in a snare’): from snare.

snarl

noun

/snɑːl/

/snɑːrl/

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[usually singular] a deep sound that an animal makes when it is angry and shows its teeth
- The dog bared its teeth in a snarl.
- The dog turned with a snarl to attack me.
Topics Animalsc2
[usually singular] an act of speaking in a rough, low, angry voice; the sound you make when you are angry, in pain, etc.
- a snarl of hate
- She answered with an angry snarl.
- She gave him a snarl.
(informal) something that has become twisted in an untidy way
- She used conditioner to remove the snarls from her hair.
(also snarl-up)
(British English, informal) a situation in which traffic is unable to move
- rush-hour traffic snarls

Word Originnoun senses 1 to 2 late 16th cent.: extension of obsolete snar, of Germanic origin; related to German schnarren ‘rattle, snarl’, probably imitative. noun senses 3 to 4 late Middle English (in the senses ‘snare, noose’ and ‘catch in a snare’): from snare.