snar

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Snared p. pr. & vb. n. Snaring. ] To catch with a snare; to insnare; to entangle; hence, to bring into unexpected evil, perplexity, or danger. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lest that too heavenly form . . . snare them. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The mournful crocodile
With sorrow snares relenting passengers. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. sneara cord, a string; akin to D. snoer, G. schnur, OHG. snour a cord, snarahha a noose, Dan. snare, Sw. & Icel. snara, Goth. sn&unr_;rj&unr_; a basket; and probably also to E. needle. See Needle, and cf. Snarl to entangle. ] 1. A contrivance, often consisting of a noose of cord, or the like, by which a bird or other animal may be entangled and caught; a trap; a gin. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, anything by which one is entangled and brought into trouble. [ 1913 Webster ]

If thou retire, the Dauphin, well appointed,
Stands with the snares of war to tangle thee. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The gut or string stretched across the lower head of a drum. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Med.) An instrument, consisting usually of a wireloop or noose, for removing tumors, etc., by avulsion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Snare drum, the smaller common military drum, as distinguished from the bass drum; -- so called because (in order to render it more resonant) it has stretched across its lower head a catgut string or strings. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who lays snares, or entraps. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ From Snare, v. t. ] 1. To entangle; to complicate; to involve in knots; as, to snarl a skein of thread. “Her snarled hair.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To embarrass; to insnare. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ The ] question that they would have snarled him with. Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ From Snar. ] 1. To growl, as an angry or surly dog; to gnarl; to utter grumbling sounds. “An angry cur snarls while he feeds.” Dryden & Lee. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To speak crossly; to talk in rude, surly terms. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is malicious and unmanly to snarl at the little lapses of a pen, from which Virgil himself stands not exempted. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of snarling; a growl; a surly or peevish expression; an angry contention. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Snarled p. pr. & vvb. n. Snarling. ] [ Etymol. uncertain. ] To form raised work upon the outer surface of (thin metal ware) by the repercussion of a snarling iron upon the inner surface. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A knot or complication of hair, thread, or the like, difficult to disentangle; entanglement; hence, intricate complication; embarrassing difficulty. [ 1913 Webster ]