See Also: Sea snipe(medicine)
Snipe(medicine)
snipe(1)(dictionary)
snipe(2)(dictionary)
snipe(encyclopedia)
Snipe - Golf(gambling)
snipe 1, verb(dictionary)
snipe 2, noun(dictionary)

snipe(1) (iou)



snipe noun. Pl. -s, (in sense 1 now usu.) same. ME.
[Prob. of Scandinavian origin (cf. Old Norse (Icelandic) mrisnipa, Norwegian myr-, strand-snipa), obscurely rel. to Middle & mod. Low German, Middle Dutch snippe (Dutch snip), sneppe, and Old High German snepfa (German Schnepfe). Cf. SNITE noun.]
Any of various wading birds of the genus Gallinago and related genera (family Scolopacidae), which have a long straight bill and frequent marshy places; the flesh of any of these as food; esp. (more fully common snipe) G. gallinago, found throughout the northern Holarctic. Formerly also (with specifying word), any of several other waders of the same family. ME.
As a term of abuse: a contemptible or worthless person. Cf. GUTTERSNIPE. E17.
a. In pl. Scissors. slang (now rare). E19.
b. The stub of a cigar or cigarette. US slang. L19.
c. Any of a group of workers, esp. on board ship. US slang. E20.
d. A sloping surface or bevel cut on the fore end of a log to ease dragging. M20.
(Also Snipe.) A class of sloop-rigged racing yacht; a yacht of this class. M20.
An instance of sniping; a long-range shot or attack from a sharpshooter. M20.
Comb.: snipe bill (a) a narrow moulding-plane with a sharp arris, used for forming or cutting quirks; (b) Zoology an Indo-Pacific gastropod, Haustellum haustellum, which has a thick shell with a very long siphonal canal; this shell; snipe eel any of various long, slender, mainly deep-sea fishes of the family Nemichthyidae, with long thin jaws and fragile bodies, esp. Nemichthys scolopaceus of the N. Atlantic; snipe fish any of various marine fishes of the genus Macrorhamphosus (family Macrorhamphosidae), which have a deep compressed body and a long snout, esp. M. scolopax of the Atlantic; snipe fly any of various long-legged slender-bodied flies of the family Rhagionidae, esp. the large Rhagio scolopacea; snipe's-head, snipe-shell = snipe bill (b) above.