sneak
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++sneak1 /sniːk/ ●○○ verb (past tense and past participle sneaked or snuck /snʌk/ American English) 1 go secretly 偷偷地走 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]WALKENTER to go somewhere secretly and quietly in order to avoid being seen or heard 偷偷地走，潜行，溜 SYN creepsneak in/out/away etc They sneaked off without paying! 他们没付钱就溜了！ She snuck out of the house once her parents were asleep. 她父母刚一睡着她就溜出了家门。► see thesaurus at walk2 take/give secretly 偷偷地拿/给 [transitive]HIDE/MAKE IT HARD TO FIND OR SEE to hide something and take it somewhere or give it to someone secretly 偷偷携带；偷偷给 I snuck her a note. 我偷偷塞给她一张纸条。sneak something through/past etc somebody/something Douglas had sneaked his camera into the show. 道格拉斯偷偷把照相机带进了展览会。3 sneak a look/glance/peek LOOK ATto look at something quickly and secretly, especially something that you are not supposed to see 偷看一眼〔尤指不该看的东西〕 He sneaked a look at her. 他偷偷地看了她一眼。4 steal 偷窃 [transitive] informalSTEAL to quickly and secretly steal something unimportant or of little value 偷，偷拿〔不重要或不太值钱的东西〕sneak something from somebody We used to sneak cigarettes from Dad. 我们以前老是从爸爸那里偷香烟。5 sneak on somebody phrasal verb British English old-fashioned informal TELLto tell someone such as a parent or teacher about something that another person has done wrong, because you want to cause trouble for that person 〔向家长或老师〕告发，打…的小报告 A little brat named Oliver sneaked on me. 一个叫奥利弗的小子告了我的状。6 sneak up phrasal verb WALKto come near someone very quietly, so that they do not see you until you reach them 偷偷地走近，蹑手蹑脚地靠近 on/behind etc I wish you wouldn’t sneak up on me like that! 你不要这样偷偷摸摸地走过来好不好！→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
sneak• It wasn't hard to sneak a copy of the tutor's program and take it back to her room.• Even Mr Ratburn sneaks a laugh.• Camille, who had sneaked in unseen to borrow the garlic-crusher, overheard this exchange and smiled.• The thieves sneaked in while the guard had his back turned.• I think it's going to sneak into each set of young people in each country.• The question came sneaking into her mind and, once there, it proved difficult to dislodge.• We tried to sneak off from work early.• Instead, Wait sneaked off the sub and went back to his quarters and changed into a uniform.• Deion sneaked up behind the announcer, who was wired for sound, and doused him with ice water.sneak in/out/away etc• Has even the tiniest ray of light sneaked in?• I felt like I had sneaked in.• I was only the caddie, so I sneaked out.• But if an intruder does sneak in, all is not necessarily lost.• If she'd been sneaking out at night to meet Gabriel, Veronica could have heard her - and seen them.• The boys had said nothing of their plans to their parents, before sneaking away last December 23.• The Little Sprouts sneak out of the house with some extra veggies.• Musicians were so desperate to hear Michelangeli that they borrowed violin cases and sneaked in through the stage door.sneak2 noun [countable] 1 British English informalTELL a child who other children dislike, because they tell adults about bad things that the other children have done 打小报告的孩子，告状的小孩 You little sneak! 你这个打小报告的家伙！2. American English informal someone who is not liked because they do things secretly and cannot be trusted 鬼鬼祟祟的人，偷偷摸摸的人Examples from the Corpus
sneak• He was knocked out just short, but Young quickly got the touchdown on a sneak.• In time, the system settles down and householders and sneaks pass on genes with equal efficiency.• Ting, a senior quarterback, capped the Riordan scoring with a pair of 1-yard sneaks.sneak3 adjective [only before noun] 1 doing things very secretly and quickly, so that people do not notice you or cannot stop you 偷偷的，令人猝不及防的 a sneak attack 偷袭 a sneak thief 令人猝不及防的小偷Origin sneak1 (1500-1600) Perhaps from Old English snican “to creep”quietly in to to order secretly go somewhere and Corpus
sneak
sneak1 /sniːk/ 
verb (past tense and past participle sneaked or snuck /snʌk/ American English)
SYN creep
sneak in/out/away etc
They sneaked off without paying__
She snuck out of the house once her parents were asleep.
2. TAKE/GIVE SECRETLY [transitive] to hide something and take it somewhere or give it to someone secretly:
I snuck her a note.
sneak something through/past etc somebody/something
Douglas had sneaked his camera into the show.
3. sneak a look/glance/peek to look at something quickly and secretly, especially something that you are not supposed to see:
He sneaked a look at her.
4. STEAL [transitive] informal to quickly and secretly steal something unimportant or of little value
sneak something from somebody
We used to sneak cigarettes from Dad.
sneak on somebody phrasal verb British English old-fashioned informal
to tell someone such as a parent or teacher about something that another person has done wrong, because you want to cause trouble for that person:
A little brat named Oliver sneaked on me.
sneak up phrasal verb
to come near someone very quietly, so that they do not see you until you reach them
sneak up on/behind etc
I wish you wouldn’t sneak up on me like that__
■ to walk quietly
▪tiptoe to walk quietly and carefully on your toes because you do not want to make a noise: I tiptoed out trying not to wake the baby.
▪creep to walk quietly and slowly because you do not want anyone to see or hear you: Stella crept up the stairs, hoping not to wake her parents.
▪sneak to walk quietly so that no-one notices you, especially because you are doing something you should not do: They sneaked off without paying. | I quickly sneaked out to have a cigarette.
▪pad to walk quietly without wearing shoes – also used about cats and dogs walking quietly: Michelle got up and padded barefoot down to the kitchen. | The cat padded in, asking for her food.
sneak2 noun [countable]
1. British English informal a child who other children dislike, because they tell adults about bad things that the other children have done:
You little sneak__
2. American English informal someone who is not liked because they do things secretly and cannot be trusted
sneak3 adjective [only before noun]
doing things very secretly and quickly, so that people do not notice you or cannot stop you:
a sneak attack
a sneak thief
| I |
verb (past tense and past participle sneaked or snuck /snʌk/ American English) Date: 1500-1600
Origin: Perhaps from Old English snican 'to creep'
1. GO SECRETLY [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to go somewhere secretly and quietly in order to avoid being seen or heard Origin: Perhaps from Old English snican 'to creep'
SYN creep
sneak in/out/away etc
2. TAKE/GIVE SECRETLY [transitive] to hide something and take it somewhere or give it to someone secretly:
sneak something through/past etc somebody/something
3. sneak a look/glance/peek to look at something quickly and secretly, especially something that you are not supposed to see:
4. STEAL [transitive] informal to quickly and secretly steal something unimportant or of little value
sneak something from somebody
sneak on somebody phrasal verb British English old-fashioned informal
to tell someone such as a parent or teacher about something that another person has done wrong, because you want to cause trouble for that person:
sneak up phrasal verb
to come near someone very quietly, so that they do not see you until you reach them
sneak up on/behind etc
| THESAURUS |
▪
▪
▪
▪
| II |
noun [countable]1. British English informal a child who other children dislike, because they tell adults about bad things that the other children have done:
2. American English informal someone who is not liked because they do things secretly and cannot be trusted
| III |
adjective [only before noun]doing things very secretly and quickly, so that people do not notice you or cannot stop you:
