snare

¹ American  

[snair] / snɛər /

noun

1. a device, often consisting of a noose, for capturing small game.

2. anything serving to entrap or entangle unawares; trap.

   Synonyms:

   pitfall, net

3. Surgery. a wire noose for removing tumors or the like by the roots or at the base.

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verb (used with object)

snared, snaring

1. to catch with a snare; entangle.

2. to catch or involve by trickery or wile.

   to snare her into going.

snare ² American  

[snair] / snɛər /

noun

1. one of the strings of gut or of tightly spiraled metal stretched across the skin of a snare drum.

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snare ¹ British  

/ snɛə /

noun

1. a device for trapping birds or small animals, esp a flexible loop that is drawn tight around the prey

2. a surgical instrument for removing certain tumours, consisting of a wire loop that may be drawn tight around their base to sever or uproot them

3. anything that traps or entangles someone or something unawares

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verb

1. to catch (birds or small animals) with a snare

2. to catch or trap in or as if in a snare; capture by trickery

snare ² British  

/ snɛə /

noun

1. music a set of gut strings wound with wire fitted against the lower drumhead of a snare drum. They produce a rattling sound when the drum is beaten See snare drum

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Related Words

See trap ¹.

Other Word Forms

• snareless adjective
• snarer noun
• snaringly adverb
• unsnared adjective

Etymology

Origin of snare¹

First recorded before 1100; Middle English (noun and verb); cognate with Old Norse snara, Middle Low German snare, Old High German snar(a)ha

Origin of snare²

1680–90; < Middle Low German snare or Middle Dutch snaer string; replacing Old English snēr string of a musical instrument

Example Sentences

Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come.

From Literature

The left-armer snared three wickets in a dramatic over to flip the game on its head as the hosts were skittled for 116 with three balls to spare.

From Barron's

In the Republic of Ireland glue traps are not part of the registered traps and snares that can be used in a legal manner under the Wildlife Act.

From BBC

“Additionally, because concertina coils are rigid and stay under tension, they don’t ‘sag’ or create the loose, invisible snares that single-strand wires often do over time, which helps reduce the risk of accidental wildlife entanglement.”

From Los Angeles Times

Rather, she’s snared Millie in a trap while desperately trying to wriggle free from one herself.

From Salon

Related Words

• corral
• enmesh
• entangle
• pull in
• round up