SNIPE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does snipe mean? 

• SNIPE (noun)
  The noun SNIPE has 2 senses:

1. Old or New World straight-billed game bird of the sandpiper family; of marshy areas; similar to the woodcocks

2. a gunshot from a concealed location

  Familiarity information: SNIPE used as a noun is rare.

• SNIPE (verb)
  The verb SNIPE has 3 senses:

1. hunt or shoot snipe

2. aim and shoot with great precision

3. attack in speech or writing

  Familiarity information: SNIPE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SNIPE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Old or New World straight-billed game bird of the sandpiper family; of marshy areas; similar to the woodcocks

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("snipe" is a kind of...):

limicoline bird; shore bird; shorebird (any of numerous wading birds that frequent mostly seashores and estuaries)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "snipe"):

Gallinago gallinago; whole snipe (common snipe of Eurasia and Africa)

Gallinago gallinago delicata; Wilson's snipe (American snipe)

Gallinago media; great snipe; woodcock snipe (Old World snipe larger and darker than the whole snipe)

half snipe; jacksnipe; Limnocryptes minima (a small short-billed Old World snipe)

dowitcher (shorebird of the sandpiper family that resembles a snipe)

Holonyms ("snipe" is a member of...):

wisp (a flock of snipe)

Derivation:

snipe (hunt or shoot snipe)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A gunshot from a concealed location

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("snipe" is a kind of...):

gunfire; gunshot (the act of shooting a gun)

Derivation:

snipe (aim and shoot with great precision)

• SNIPE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they snipe    ... he / she / it snipes   
Past simple: sniped   
Past participle: sniped   
-ing form: sniping   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Hunt or shoot snipe

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "snipe" is one way to...):

hunt; hunt down; run; track down (pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

In the summer they like to go out and snipe

Derivation:

snipe (Old or New World straight-billed game bird of the sandpiper family; of marshy areas; similar to the woodcocks)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Aim and shoot with great precision

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

sharpshoot; snipe

Hypernyms (to "snipe" is one way to...):

blast; shoot (fire a shot)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

snipe (a gunshot from a concealed location)

sniper (a marksman who shoots at people from a concealed place)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Attack in speech or writing

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

assail; assault; attack; lash out; round; snipe

Context example:

The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker

Hypernyms (to "snipe" is one way to...):

criticise; criticize; knock; pick apart (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "snipe"):

abuse; blackguard; clapperclaw; shout (use foul or abusive language towards)

claw (attack as if with claws)

vitriol (subject to bitter verbal abuse)

rip (criticize or abuse strongly and violently)

whang (attack forcefully)

barrage; bombard (address with continuously or persistently, as if with a barrage)

blister; scald; whip (subject to harsh criticism)

rubbish (attack strongly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

 Context examples 

Would not the first of them who saw me wring my neck like a snipe's?

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

He ran in little zigzags from one knot of people to another, whilst his peculiar appearance drew a running fire of witticisms as he went, so that he reminded me irresistibly of a snipe skimming along through a line of guns.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)