snarl 1
— snarler , n. — snarlingly , adv.
/snahrl/ , v.i.
1. to growl threateningly or viciously, esp. with a raised upper lip to bare the teeth, as a dog.
2. to speak in a surly or threatening manner suggestive of a dog's snarl.
v.t.
3. to say by snarling: to snarl a threat.
n.
4. the act of snarling.
5. a snarling sound or utterance.
[ 1580-90; earlier snarle, equiv. to obs. snar to snarl (c. D, LG snarren, G schnarren ) + -LE ]
snarl 2
/snahrl/ , n.
1. a tangle, as of thread, hair, or wire.
2. a complicated or confused condition or matter: a traffic snarl.
3. a knot in wood.
v.t.
4. to bring into a tangled condition, as thread or hair.
5. to render complicated or confused: The questions snarled him up.
6. to raise or emboss, as parts of a thin metal vessel, by hammering on a tool (snarling iron) held against the inner surface of the vessel.
v.i.
7. to become tangled; get into a tangle.
[ 1350-1400; ME snarle; see SNARE 1 , -LE ]