snaffle
1 Americannoun
verb (used with object)
-
to put a snaffle on (a horse).
-
to control with or as with a snaffle.
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
-
informal to steal or take for oneself
-
to equip or control with a snaffle
Etymology
Origin of snaffle1
1525–35; origin uncertain; compare Old Frisian snavel mouth, Dutch snavel, German Schnabel beak, bill
Origin of snaffle2
First recorded in 1715–25; origin uncertain
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Punters buy raffle tickets in the hope that they will be the lucky one to choose the correct key, open the box and snaffle the prize money.
From BBC ● May 10, 2025
Acorns are only on the ground for a short period, and the bears has to wander around to snaffle them all up.
From Slate ● Dec. 6, 2022
And at the end of an evening, it’s not uncommon for deer to emerge from the trees and snaffle up the leftover popcorn.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2022
Years later, I would visit the Valdes Peninsula in Argentina, where these scenes of orcas beaching themselves to snaffle sea lion pups off the shingle were filmed.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 3, 2022
It has been said by a great authority on riding that no horse's mouth is good enough for a snaffle, and no man's hands good enough for a curb.
From Ladies in the Field: Sketches of Sport by Greville, Beatrice Violet Graham
Haseeb Hameed's thin snick, Jack Leach bowled shouldering arms, Jonny Bairstow pinned lbw, Joe Root's edged drive, Mark Wood taken in the follow-through and Ollie Robinson snaffled at third slip.
From BBC ● Nov. 19, 2025
Luke Cowan-Dickie was held up over the line shortly after the restart before an aimless kick from Racing's Antoine Gibert was brilliantly snaffled by Roebuck.
From BBC ● Dec. 13, 2024
Chelsea were sloppy in possession at the back when Berger's heavy touch was almost snaffled by White, but City failed to capitalise.
From BBC ● Mar. 5, 2022
Chelsea’s midfield looked strong before deadline day – and then the club snaffled Saúl away from Atlético to give themselves an embarrassment of riches.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 10, 2021
Julia'd snaffled all the Jaffa Cakes 'cause she's at home all day revising for her A levels.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
Yet Denver's defense came up big when it mattered, Ja'Quan McMillian snaffling an interception to give the Broncos the chance to grab a winning score.
From Barron's ● Jan. 18, 2026
But then the latter's skillful knack of snaffling wickets came to the fore as he bagged two of Australia's dogged top order.
From BBC ● Dec. 26, 2025
“In that context, when you are doing really hard work and having to burn a lot of calories to stay warm, snaffling any food in sight might have been a really good idea,” added Raffan.
From The Guardian ● May 3, 2016
QPR lead at Hull and it is, of course, Charlie Austin snaffling one up.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 19, 2015
London was ignorant, London was stupid, London was always doing him and the other buccaneers down, was always snaffling something which he ought to have.
From The Summons by Mason, A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley)
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.
