snarl

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

snarl, v. t. [Etymol. uncertain.].

 To form raised work upon the outer surface of (thin metal ware) by the repercussion of a snarling iron upon the inner surface.  [1913 Webster]

snarl, v. t. [From Snare, v. t.].

•  To entangle; to complicate; to involve in knots; as, to snarl a skein of thread.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]
•  To embarrass; to insnare.  [1913 Webster]

  "[The] question that they would have snarled him with."  [1913 Webster]

snarl, n. 

 A knot or complication of hair, thread, or the like, difficult to disentangle; entanglement; hence, intricate complication; embarrassing difficulty.  [1913 Webster]

snarl, v. i. [From Snar.].

•  To growl, as an angry or surly dog; to gnarl; to utter grumbling sounds.  Dryden & Lee.  [1913 Webster]
•  To speak crossly; to talk in rude, surly terms.  [1913 Webster]

  "It is malicious and unmanly to snarl at the little lapses of a pen, from which Virgil himself stands not exempted."  [1913 Webster]

snarl, n. 

 The act of snarling; a growl; a surly or peevish expression; an angry contention.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

snarl, v. & n.
--v.
1 intr. (of a dog) make an angry growl with bared teeth.
2 intr. (of a person) speak cynically; make bad-tempered complaints or criticisms.
3 tr. (often foll. by out) a utter in a snarling tone. b express (discontent etc.) by snarling.
--n. the act or sound of snarling.

Derivative

snarler n. snarlingly adv. snarly adj. (snarlier, snarliest).

snarl, v. & n.
--v.
1 tr. (often foll. by up) twist; entangle; confuse and hamper the movement of (traffic etc.).
2 intr. (often foll. by up) become entangled, congested, or confused.
3 tr. adorn the exterior of (a narrow metal vessel) with raised work.
--n. a knot or tangle.

Idiom

snarling iron an implement used for snarling metal. snarl-up colloq. a traffic jam; a muddle; a mistake.

Etymology

ME f. snare (n. & v.): sense 3 perh. f. noun in dial. sense 'knot in wood'

THESAURUS

snarl

Chinese puzzle, Gordian knot, Rube Goldberg contraption, allure, altercation, argument, ataxia, bait the hook, ball up, bark, bawl, belch, bellow, bicker, birdlime, blare, blat, blood feud, blubber, boom, brawl, bray, breathe, broil, burden, burr, buzz, cackle, can of worms, catch, catch out, caw, chant, chaos, chirp, chirr, clang, clangor, clank, clash, clutter, color, complex, complexity, complicate, complication, confound, confuse, contention, controversy, coo, cramp, craunch, cripple, croak, crow, crump, crunch, cumber, decoy, difficulty, dilemma, disarray, disorder, dispute, donnybrook, donnybrook fair, drawl, embarrass, embrangle, embroilment, encumber, enmesh, ensnare, ensnarl, entangle, entanglement, entoil, entrammel, entrap, entwine, enweb, exclaim, fetter, feud, fight, fix, fliting, flush, flute, foul up, fracas, frown, fuss, gasp, gin, glare, glower, gnarl, grimace, grind, groan, growl, grumble, grunt, hamper, hamstring, handicap, hiss, hobble, hook, hook in, howl, huddle, imbroglio, impede, implicate, intricacy, intricateness, inveigle, involve, jam, jangle, jar, jungle, keen, kink, knot, labyrinth, lame, lilt, lime, logomachy, look daggers, louse up, lower, lumber, lure, mantle, maze, meander, mesh, mess, mess up, mishmash, mix up, moan, morass, moue, mow, muck up, muddle, mumble, murmur, mutter, net, noose, open quarrel, pant, perplex, pickle, pipe, polemic, pout, predicament, press down, problem, quandary, quarrel, ramify, rasp, ravel, redden, rictus, roar, rumble, saddle with, scowl, scramble, scranch, scrape, scratch, scream, screech, screw up, scrunch, shackle, sharp words, shriek, sibilate, sigh, sing, skein, slanging match, snafu, snag, snake pit, snap, snare, snarl up, sniggle, snore, snort, sob, sough, spat, spit, spread the toils, squabble, squall, squawk, squeal, strife, swarm, tangle, tangled skein, thunder, tiff, tight spot, toil, topsy-turviness, trammel, trap, trip, trumpet, tussle, twang, twist, vendetta, wail, warble, web, webwork, weigh down, wheels within wheels, whine, whisper, whistle, wilderness, wind, words, wrangle, wry face, wry mouth, yap, yawp, yell, yelp

ROGET THESAURUS

snarl

Discord

N discord, disagreement, discord, disaccord, dissidence, dissonance, jar, clash, shock, jarring, jostling, screw loose, variance, difference, dissension, misunderstanding, cross purposes, odds, brouillerie, division, split, rupture, disruption, division in the camp, house divided against itself, disunion, breach, schism, feud, faction, quarrel, dispute, tiff, tracasserie, squabble, altercation, barney, demel_e, snarl, spat, towrow, words, high words, wrangling, jangle, brabble, cross questions and crooked answers, snip-snap, family jars, polemics, litigation, strife, warfare, outbreak, open rupture, declaration of war, broil, brawl, row, racket, hubbub, rixation, embroilment, embranglement, imbroglio, fracas, breach of the peace, piece of work, scrimmage, rumpus, breeze, squall, riot, disturbance, commotion, bear garden, Donnybrook, Donnybrook Fair, subject of dispute, ground of quarrel, battle ground, disputed point, bone of contention, bone to pick, apple of discord, casus belli, question at issue, vexed question, vexata quaestio, brand of discord, troublous times, cat-and-dog life, contentiousness, enmity, hate, Kilkenny cats, disputant, strange bedfellows, discordant, disagreeing, out of tune, ajar, on bad terms, dissentient, unreconciled, unpacified, contentious, quarrelsome, unpacific, gladiatorial, controversial, polemic, disputatious, factious, litigious, litigant, pettifogging, at odds, at loggerheads, at daggers drawn, at variance, at issue, at cross purposes, at sixes and sevens, at feud, at high words, up in arms, together by the ears, in hot water, embroiled, torn, disunited, quot homines tot sententiae, no love lost between them, non nostrum tantas componere lites, Mars gravior sub pace latet, discord, discordance, dissonance, cacophony, want of harmony, caterwauling, harshness, Babel, Dutch concert, cat's concert, marrowbones and cleavers, discordant, dissonant, absonant, out of tune, tuneless, unmusical, untunable, unmelodious, immelodious, unharmonious, inharmonious, singsong, cacophonous, harsh, jarring.

Discourtesy

VB be rude, insult, treat with discourtesy, take a name in vain, make bold with, make free with, take a liberty, stare out of countenance, ogle, point at, put to the blush, cut, turn one's back upon, turn on one's heel, give the cold shoulder, keep at a distance, keep at arm's length, look cool upon, look coldly upon, look black upon, show the door to, send away with a flea in the ear, lose one's temper, sulk, frown, scowl, glower, pout, snap, snarl, growl, render rude, brutalize, brutify.

Resentment

VB resent, take amiss, take ill, take to heart, take offense, take umbrage, take huff, take exception, take in ill part, take in bad part, take in dudgeon, ne pas entendre raillerie, breathe revenge, cut up rough, fly into a rage, fall into a rage, get into a rage, fly into a passion, bridle up, bristle up, froth up, fire up, flare up, open the vials of one's wrath, pour out the vials of one's wrath, pout, knit the brow, frown, scowl, lower, snarl, growl, gnarl, gnash, snap, redden, color, look black, look black as thunder, look daggers, bite one's thumb, show one's teeth, grind one's teeth, champ the bit, champ at the bit, chafe, mantle, fume, kindle, fly out, take fire, boil, boil over, boil with indignation, boil with rage, rage, storm, foam, vent one's rage, vent one's spleen, lose one's temper, stand on one's hind legs, stamp the foot, stamp with rage, quiver with rage, swell with rage, foam with rage, burst with anger, raise Cain, have a fling at, bear malice, cause anger, raise anger, affront, offend, give offense, give umbrage, anger, hurt the feelings, insult, discompose, fret, ruffle, nettle, huff, pique, excite, irritate, stir the blood, stir up bile, sting, sting to the quick, rile, provoke, chafe, wound, incense, inflame, enrage, aggravate, add fuel to the flame, fan into a flame, widen the breach, envenom, embitter, exasperate, infuriate, kindle wrath, stick in one's gizzard, rankle, hit on the raw, rub on the raw, sting on the raw, strike on the raw, put out of countenance, put out of humor, put one's monkey up, put one's back up, raise one's gorge, raise one's dander, raise one's choler, work up into a passion, make one's blood boil, make the ears tingle, throw, into a ferment, madden, drive one mad, lash into fury, lash into madness, fool to the top of one's bent, set by the ears, bring a hornet's nest about one's ears.

Threat

VB threat, threaten, menace, snarl, growl, gnarl, mutter, bark, bully, defy, intimidate, keep in terrorem, hold up in terrorem, hold out in terrorem, shake the fist at, double the fist at, clinch the fist at, thunder, talk big, fulminate, use big words, bluster, look daggers, stare daggers.

Ululation

VB cry, roar, bellow, blare, rebellow, growl, snarl, bark, bow-wow, yelp, bay, bay at the moon, yap, yip, yipe, growl, yarr, yawl, snarl, howl, grunt, gruntle, snort, squeak neigh, whinny, bray, mew, mewl, meow, purr, caterwaul, pule, baa, bleat, low, moo, troat, croak, peep, coo, gobble, quack, honk, gaggle, guggle, crow, caw, squawk, screech cackle, cluck, clack, chuck, chuckle, hoot, hoo, chirp, cheep, chirrup, twitter, cuckoo, warble, trill, tweet, pipe, whistle, hum, buzz, hiss, blatter, ratatat, cry, roar, bellow, blare, rebellow, growl, snarl, bark, bow-wow, yelp, bay, bay at the moon, yap, yip, yipe, growl, yarr, yawl, snarl, howl, grunt, gruntle, snort, squeak neigh, whinny, bray, mew, mewl, meow, purr, caterwaul, pule, baa, bleat, low, moo, troat, croak, peep, coo, gobble, quack, honk, gaggle, guggle, crow, caw, squawk, screech cackle, cluck, clack, chuck, chuckle, hoot, hoo, chirp, cheep, chirrup, twitter, cuckoo, warble, trill, tweet, pipe, whistle, hum, buzz, hiss, blatter, ratatat.