snipe
snipe Lexical Profile
snipe Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To shoot at someone or something from a hidden or distant position.
"The rebel forces sniped at the advancing convoy from the surrounding hills."
To make petty, sly, or critical verbal attacks against someone.
"Instead of offering constructive feedback, the committee members just sniped at each other."
To place a winning bid on an online auction item at the last possible moment to prevent other buyers from responding.
"She managed to snipe the antique clock just two seconds before the auction closed."
• noun
A shot fired from a concealed or distant position.
"The sudden snipe shattered the window, sending the delegates diving for cover."
A petty, sly, or snide verbal attack.
"He ignored the steady stream of snipes from his political opponents and focused on the campaign."
A long-billed, brown-plumaged wading bird of marshes and wet meadows (family Scolopacidae), known for its excellent camouflage and erratic flight.
"The hunters waded through the dense marshland hoping to flush out a snipe."
Word Nuance & Usage
When used to describe a verbal attack, the verb 'snipe' is highly intransitive and almost always followed by the preposition 'at' (e.g., 'sniping at his colleagues').
• Rhymes for snipe
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'snype', likely of Old Norse origin (compare 'mýrisnípa', moor snipe). The military sense of shooting from a hidden location originated in British India (late 18th century), referring to the extreme difficulty of hunting the elusive, erratic-flying snipe bird.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.