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• snell
  snell

  noun

  a short piece of nylon, gut, or the like, by which a fishhook is attached to a line.
• Snell
  Snell

  noun

  Peter (George), 1938–2019, New Zealand distance runner.

snell

¹ American  

[snel] / snɛl /

noun

1. a short piece of nylon, gut, or the like, by which a fishhook is attached to a line.

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snell ² American  

[snel] / snɛl /

adjective

Chiefly Scot.

1. active; lively.

   a snell lad.

2. witty.

   a snell remark.

3. severe.

   snell weather.

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Snell ³ American  

[snel] / snɛl /

noun

1. Peter (George), 1938–2019, New Zealand distance runner.

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Snell ¹ British  

/ snɛl /

noun

1. Sir Peter ( George ). born 1938, New Zealand athlete; winner of three Olympic gold medals: for the 800 metres in 1960, and again in 1964, when he also won gold for the 1500 metres

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snell ² British  

/ snɛl /

adjective

1. biting; bitter; sharp

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Etymology

Origin of snell¹

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50; origin uncertain

Origin of snell²

before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Old High German snel ( German schnell ) quick, Old Norse snjallr excellent

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

snell Snell

Simply snell a 7/0 circle hook to 18 inches of 50-pound fluorocarbon leader tied to a two- to four-ounce trolling sinker.

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

Thread the leader through the mantle and to the bottom of the squid, then snell a 9/0 to 10/0 Mustad Super Marlin 7761 BLN hook to the leader.

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

"That is the situation," he admitted, freeing his line and trying to catch the crinkled silvery snell of the new leader.

From The Younger Set by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers

Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell, sitting next to soon-to-be free agent Tarik Skubal at their lockers in the aftermath of their team’s elimination from the National League Championship Series elimination, made a promise:

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell stood on the mound with his hand on his left hip, waiting for Jake Bauers to cross the plate before punching in his pitch call for the next batter.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

Then Snell left a 98 mph heater in the middle of the zone—and Bauers pounced, sending the ball 412 feet deep into the right-field seats, silencing the raucous Dodger Stadium crowd.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

That’s when Bauers went to work against Snell.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

“I’m not gonna worry about it,” Sandra announced, for the fifth or sixth time, addressing herself as much as Mrs. Snell.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

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