sneak

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To move quietly and secretly so that no one notices you.

   He tried to sneak into the house without waking his parents.

2. 2
   verb

   To take or bring something secretly.

   She sneaked a chocolate bar into the cinema.

3. 3
   noun

   A person who does things secretly or behaves in a dishonest way.

   My little brother is such a sneak; he read my diary.

Possibly from Middle English sniken (“to creep, crawl”), from Old English snīcan (“to creep, crawl”), from Proto-West Germanic *snīkan, from Proto-Germanic *snīkaną (“to creep, crawl”), which is related to the root of snake. Compare Danish snige (“to sneak”), Swedish snika (“to sneak, hanker after”), Icelandic sníkja (“to sneak, hanker after”). Possibly related to snitch.

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