snoop
[snoop]Informal.
- to prowl or pry; go about in a sneaking, prying way.
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- an act or instance of snooping.
- a person who snoops.
- a private detective.
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Origin of snoop
1825–35, Americanism; < Dutch snoepen to take and eat food on the sly
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for snooping
Contemporary Examples
And they have no idea about the latest revelations of inappropriate NSA snooping.
Eventually Congress learned the NSA was also snooping on U.S. citizens through programs code named Minaret and Shamrock.
In other bipartisan news, President Obama fixes NSA snooping.
The technology itself is only about flying without pilots, not snooping from above.
Harry is understandably keen to try to protect Cressida from snooping snappers.
Historical Examples
You never can tell when Jeremiah is snooping about, and he's a telltale.
The Cat in Grandfather's HouseCarl Henry Grabo
Don't want any of that gang to come and find us snooping around.
The Ranger Boys and the Border SmugglersClaude A. Labelle
He did that by night, just in case patrol craft might be snooping around.
Duel on SyrtisPoul William Anderson
A snooping neighbor had noted the license of the car that had taken him away.
Cue for QuietThomas L. Sherred
I'd hate to have men coming into my kitchen, snooping around and criticizing.
snoop
- (intr; often foll by about or around) to pry into the private business of others
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- a person who pries into the business of others
- an act or instance of snooping
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Word Origin
C19: from Dutch snoepen to eat furtively
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for snooping
snoop
v.
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.
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snoop
n.
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.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper