snape

S1N1A1P3E1
US, UK/sneɪp/

verb

To bevel the end of a timber to fit against an inclined surface.

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Less commonScrabble 7

Meanings

snape1

verbsnape (third-person singular simple present snapes, present participle snaping, simple past and past participle snaped)

present singular third person snapes · participle present snaping · participle past snaped · past snaped

  1. businessTo bevel the end of a timber to fit against an inclined surface.

    It had to be accurately cut and trimmed, and its upper edge scored to suit the snaping of every beam end.

    2000, William L. Crothers, The American-built Clipper Ship, 1850-1856, International Marine, page 265

snape2

verbsnape (third-person singular simple present snapes, present participle snaping, simple past and past participle snaped)

present singular third person snapes · participle present snaping · participle past snaped · past snaped

  1. UKarchaicdialectaltransitiveTo check or curtail (the growth of something); also, to check or curtail the growth of (a plant, etc.).
  2. UKarchaicdialectaltransitiveSynonym of sneap (“to check or abruptly reprove (someone); to chide, to rebuke, to reprimand”).

    The colnel (sic) I dont think like him much. I undirstand (sic) he was always snaping him.

    1861, Terry A. Johnston, Him on One Side and Me on the Other, Univ. of South Carolina Press, p48, 1999 (quoting Alexander Campbell)

    Synonyms: sneap

  3. UKarchaicdialectalintransitiveTo chide, to rebuke, to reprimand.

    I imagine her prodding my flab and snaping, "There's nothing there — get rid of that!"

    2001, Joan Raphael-Leff, Pregnancy: The Inside Story, Karnac Books, page 22
    1 more example

    He saw nothing, heard nothing, rushed on, he knew not whither, snaping, and uttering hoarse cries.

    1871, John Esten Cooke, Out of the Foam

Snape3

proper noun
  1. A village in Snape with Thorp parish, North Yorkshire, England, previously in Hambleton district (OS grid ref SE2684).
  2. A village and civil parish in East Suffolk district, Suffolk, England, previously in Suffolk Coastal district (OS grid ref TM3958).
  3. A surname from Old English.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbSynonym of sneap (“to check or abruptly reprove (someone); to chide, to rebuke, to reprimand”).

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Origin

snape · verb

Origin obscure. Perhaps from snape, a dialectal variant of sneap (“to nip, bite, pinch”). More at sneap.

Full word history & related roots →

snape · verb

  1. Proto-Germanic*snupaną
  2. Old Norsesneypa“to disgrace, dishonour; to outrage”
  3. Middle Englishsnaipen“to injure; of sleet or snow: to nip; to criticize, rebuke, revile”
  4. Englishsnape

From Middle English snaipen (“to injure; of sleet or snow: to nip; to criticize, rebuke, revile”) [and other forms], from Old Norse sneypa (“to disgrace, dishonour; to outrage”), from Proto-Germanic *snupaną, *snubaną (“to cut; to snap”); further origin unknown. Doublet of sneap.

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Snape · proper noun

First attested in the late 18th century. Derived from various villages in England and southern Scotland sharing this name.

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Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with snape

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Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

snape. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/snape

MLA

“snape.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/snape. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “snape,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/snape.

Source: snape on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.