sneak

sneak¹ [sni:k] v past tense and past participle sneaked or snuck [snʌk] AmE

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1¦(go secretly)¦

2¦(take/give secretly)¦

3 sneak a look/glance/peek

4¦(steal)¦

Phrasal verbs

　sneak on somebody

　sneak up

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[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Perhaps from Old English snican 'to creep']

1.) ¦(GO SECRETLY)¦ [I always + adverb/preposition]

to go somewhere secretly and quietly in order to avoid being seen or heard

= ↑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)¦ [T]

to hide something and take it somewhere or give it to someone secretly

▪ I snuck her a note.

sneak sth through/past etc sb/sth

▪ 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)¦ [T] informal

to quickly and secretly steal something unimportant or of little value

sneak sth from sb

▪ We used to sneak cigarettes from Dad.

sneak on [sneak on sb] phr v

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 phr v

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!

sneak ²

sneak² n

1.) BrE informal a child who other children dislike, because they tell adults about bad things that the other children have done wrong

▪ You little sneak!

2.) AmE informal someone who is not liked because they do things secretly and cannot be trusted

sneak ³

sneak³ adj [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