snookered
snookered Lexical Profile
snookered Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
British Left in a difficult, helpless, or impossible position with no obvious way to succeed or proceed.
"Without access to the archived financial records, the auditors were completely snookered."
North American Tricked, cheated, or duped into an unfavorable situation.
"The buyer realized too late that he had been snookered into paying far more than the antique was worth."
In snooker and pool, positioned such that a direct shot at a legal object ball is obstructed by one or more intervening balls.
"Left tightly snookered behind the black ball, the reigning champion had to attempt a difficult kick shot off the side cushion."
• verb
To place or leave someone in a difficult predicament or an impossible position (past tense and past participle of snooker).
"Unexpected supply chain delays snookered our plans to launch the product before the holidays."
North American To deceive, trick, or dupe someone, especially out of money or an advantage (past tense and past participle of snooker).
"The con artist snookered several local merchants before authorities finally tracked him down."
To leave an opponent in snooker or pool unable to hit the required ball directly in a straight line (past tense and past participle of snooker).
"She snookered her opponent behind the brown ball, forcing a costly foul that decided the frame."
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the cue sport snooker, a term coined in the 1870s by British Army officers in India from a military slang word for a first-year cadet or inexperienced rookie. In the game, a player whose direct shot is blocked by another ball is said to be 'snookered,' which gave rise to the figurative senses of being thwarted or duped.