snoop
- to prowl or pry; go about in a sneaking, prying way.
- an act or instance of snooping.
- a person who snoops.
- a private detective.
Origin of snoop
Related Words for snooped
peep, intrude, detective, sleuth, meddler, rubberneck, eavesdropper, snooper, scout, gumshoe, pry, busybody, quidnunc, pragmatist, ferret, stare, spy, poke, peek, interfereExamples from the Web for snooped
Historical Examples of snooped
Fred told about he an' Gus campin' by the river, an' I snooped up that way.
Down the SlopeJames Otis
She would have snooped; I didn't; that's the only generic difference.
The Fighting ChanceRobert W. Chambers
The workmen who had been engaged for work at the Grange had been snooped for work at the Hall.
The Hall and the GrangeArchibald Marshall
We snooped all around the trunk room and rummaged in every box big enough to hold a dwarf.
Winnie ChildsC. N. Williamson
Dozens of stoop-shouldered laboratory men would have prodded and snooped and asked for long, written accounts.
snoop
- (intr; often foll by about or around) to pry into the private business of others
- a person who pries into the business of others
- an act or instance of snooping
Word Origin for snoop
Word Origin and History for snooped
snoop
1832, "to go around in a prying manner," American English, probably from Dutch snoepen "to pry," also "eat in secret, eat sweets, sneak," probably related to snappen "to bite, snatch" (see snap (v.)). Specific meaning "to pry into other people's business" is attested from 1921. Related: Snooped; snooping.
snoop
1891, "act of snooping," from snoop (v.). Meaning "one who snoops" is from 1929; meaning "detective" is from 1942. snooper "one who pries or peeps" is from 1889.