active; lively.
a snell lad.
witty.
a snell remark.
severe.
snell weather.
An Americanism dating back to 1840–50; origin uncertain
before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Old High German snel ( German schnell ) quick, Old Norse snjallr excellent
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Flies, leaders, and snell hooks, said he, are made in many a humble European home.
From Time Magazine Archive
The snell knot is also useful for tying tandem-hook rigs: simply tie the trailing hook to a long tag end coming off the rear of the lead hook.
From Time Magazine Archive
The snell knot was invented long ago when it was the only way to attach the fishing line to an eye-less hook, but many anglers still use it today.
From Time Magazine Archive
One benefit of the snell knot is that it aligns the fishing line or leader with the hook shank, resulting in a straight, solid set.
From Time Magazine Archive
So we held fast and snell to the eastward, passing along the skirts of the Millyea, and keeping to the heights above the track which runs from the Glenkens to the Water of Cree.
From The Men of the Moss-Hags Being a history of adventure taken from the papers of William Gordon of Earlstoun in Galloway by Crockett, S. R. (Samuel Rutherford)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
