/ snɑːl; NAmE snɑːrl/ verb , noun
■ verb
1.
[ v ] snarl (at sb/sth) ( of dogs, etc. ) to show the teeth and make a deep angry noise in the throat :
The dog snarled at us.
2.
snarl (sth) (at sb) to speak in an angry or bad-tempered way :
[ v speech ]
'Get out of here!' he snarled.
[ vn ]
She snarled abuse at anyone who happened to walk past.
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PHRASAL VERBS
- snarl up | snarl sth up
—related noun snarl-up
■ noun
1.
[ usually sing. ] a deep sound that an animal makes when it is angry and shows its teeth :
The dog bared its teeth in a snarl.
2.
[ usually sing. ] an act of speaking in an angry or bad-tempered way; the sound you make when you are angry, in pain, etc. :
a snarl of hate
3.
= snarl-up :
rush-hour traffic snarls
4.
( informal ) something that has become twisted in an untidy way :
She used conditioner to remove the snarls from her hair.
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WORD ORIGIN
verb and noun senses 1 to 2 late 16th cent.: extension of obsolete snar , of Germanic origin; related to German schnarren rattle, snarl, probably imitative.
pvsym. and noun senses 3 to 4 late Middle English (in the senses snare, noose and catch in a snare ): from snare .