snake
snake
Pronunciation
snake: /sneɪk/
syl·la·ble 1: /sneɪk/
/s/ - voiceless alveolar fricative
/n/ - voiced alveolar nasal
/eɪ/ - diphthong (as in "day")
/k/ - voiceless velar stop
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: snake
Plural Noun: snakes
Verb (base form): snake
Verb (third person singular present): snakes
Verb (present participle): snaking
Verb (past tense/past participle): snaked
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A limbless, elongated reptile that moves by undulating its body, often characterized by a scaly skin and a forked tongue, and known for its ability to constrict or inject venom.
Synonyms: serpent, viper, adder
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; perhaps "mammal" or "bird" if contrasting animal types, but not a true opposite)
Definition 2: A treacherous or deceitful person, often one who secretly harms or betrays others.
Synonyms: traitor, backstabber, deceiver, renegade
Antonyms: loyalist, ally, friend, supporter
Verb
Definition 1: To move or extend with a winding, twisting course, resembling the movement of a snake.
Synonyms: wind, twist, coil, meander, undulate
Antonyms: straighten, uncoil, unbend
Definition 2: To pull or drag something in a winding or indirect way.
Synonyms: drag, pull, haul, thread
Antonyms: push, release, untangle
Definition 3: (Informal) To steal or acquire something secretly and often illicitly.
Synonyms: swipe, pilfer, filch, snatch
Antonyms: return, give, offer, bestow
Examples of Use
Books:
"There's a great big snake in that tree!" exclaimed Hagrid, pointing to a massive python coiled around a branch. (J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, June 1997)
The detective knew he had a snake in the department, leaking information to the criminal underworld. (Michael Connelly, The Narrows, May 2004)
Newspapers:
"Environmental groups warn that urban development is forcing local snake populations into closer contact with humans." (The Guardian, October 2023)
"Authorities arrested a man attempting to snake a large sum of money from the elderly victim's bank account." (The New York Times, January 2024)
Online Publications:
"Watch this mesmerizing video of a king cobra snaking its way through the dense jungle undergrowth." (National Geographic Online, March 2025)
"The recent stock market fluctuations have investors feeling like they've been snaked by unpredictable economic forces." (Bloomberg.com, April 2025)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones famously expresses his disdain for "snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?" (Paramount Pictures, June 1981)
Television Series: "The final challenge involved contestants having to snake their way through a muddy obstacle course." (Survivor, CBS, February 2025)
Video Game: Players in Metal Gear Solid frequently use a "snake-like" stealth approach to avoid detection by enemies. (Konami, September 1998)
Music: The song "Snake" by R. Kelly (Jive Records, October 2002) uses the term to describe a deceitful person.
General Public Discourse:
"Did you see that driver? They really snaked through traffic to make that exit."
"I heard he's a real snake; I wouldn't trust him with your secret."
"We had to snake the cable through the wall to connect the new television."
"My dog found a little garden snake in the backyard this morning."
10 Famous Quotes Using Snake
"How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child!" (William Shakespeare, King Lear, c. 1606)
"If you see a snake, just kill it - don't appoint a committee on snakes." (Ross Perot)
"Marriage is like putting your hand into a bag of snakes in the hope of pulling out an eel." (Leonardo da Vinci)
"Never wound a snake; kill it." (Harriet Tubman)
"Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous." (Chanakya)
"The world of men is dreaming, it has gone mad in its sleep, and a snake is strangling it, but it can't wake up." (D.H. Lawrence, Apocalypse, 1931)
"There's a snake lurking in the grass." (Virgil, Aeneid)
"When you're a snake charmer, you're gonna get bit." (LaVar Ball)
"The snake will always bite back." (Jake Roberts)
"Whomever I touch, I send back to the earth from whence he came," the snake spoke again. "But you are innocent and true, and you come from a star." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince, 1943)
Etymology
The word "snake" has a long history, going back thousands of years. It comes from the Old English word "snaca," which generally meant a "snake," "serpent," or "reptile." This Old English word itself came from an even older language called Proto-Germanic, where it was something like "snak-an-".
Tracing it back further, the ultimate root of "snake" is believed to be the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root "sneg-". This ancient root meant "to crawl" or "creeping thing." So, from its very beginnings, the word was associated with the way these limbless creatures move.
The first known use of "snake" in English, referring to the reptile, was before the 12th century, in the Old English period. Interestingly, while "snake" referred to the creature, another word, "serpent," was also commonly used for a long time, especially in more formal or literary contexts. Over time, "snake" gradually became the more common everyday word we use today.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Snake
Snake in the grass: A treacherous or deceptive person, often one who pretends to be a friend.
To snake around/through: To move in a winding or twisting path.
Snake eyes: In craps, rolling a pair of ones.
Snake charmer: A person who appears to control snakes, typically by playing an instrument; metaphorically, someone who can skillfully influence or persuade people.
Snakes and ladders: A children's board game.
To snake a pipe/drain: To clear a blockage in a pipe or drain using a long, flexible tool.
Like a coiled snake: Ready to strike; tense and poised for action.
To be snaked (out of something): To be cheated or tricked out of something.
To get snaked: To be outmaneuvered or defeated, especially unexpectedly.
The snake oil salesman: A person who sells fraudulent remedies or gives deceptive pitches.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of snake from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
