snaky
English
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]- IPA(key): /ˈsneɪki/
Audio (Southern England): (file)
Adjective
[edit]snaky (comparative snakier, superlative snakiest)
- Resembling or relating to snakes; snakelike.
- 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC, signature [Aa4], verso, lines 482–484:
- [S]ome of Serpent kinde
Wondrous in length and corpulence involv'd
Thir Snakie foulds, and added wings.
- 1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “Retribution”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 594:
- There is a snaky gleam in her hard grey eye, as of anticipated rounds of buttered toast, relays of hot chops, worryings and quellings of young children, sharp snappings at poor Berry, and all the other delights of her Ogress's castle.
- 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “Knights and Squires”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, pages 131–132:
- To look at the tawny brawn of his lithe snaky limbs, you would almost have credited the superstitions of some of the earlier Puritans, and half believed this wild Indian to be a son of the Prince of the Powers of the Air.
- Windy; winding; twisty; sinuous, wavy.
- Walking through the snaky passages I was soon completely lost.
- c. 1596–1598 (date written), W[illiam] Shakespeare, The Excellent History of the Merchant of Venice. […] (First Quarto), [London]: […] J[ames] Roberts [for Thomas Heyes], published 1600, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], signature F, verso:
- So are thoſe criſped ſnaky golden locks
Which maketh ſuch wanton gambals with the wind,
Vpon ſuppoſed faireneſſe, often knowne
To be the dowry of a ſecond head,
The skull that bred them in the Sepulcher.
- 1942, Emily Carr, “Chain Gang”, in The Book of Small, Toronto, Ont.: Oxford University Press, →OCLC:
- The nuns' veils billowed and flapped behind the snaky line of girls as if the sisters were shooing the serpent from the Garden of Eden.
- (obsolete) Sly; cunning; deceitful.
- 1671, John Milton, “The First Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 7, lines 119–120:
- So to the Coaſt of Jordan he directs
His eaſie ſteps; girded with ſnaky wiles, […]
- (obsolete) Covered with serpents; having serpents.
- 1634 October 9 (first performance), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: […] [Comus], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for Hvmphrey Robinson, […], published 1637, →OCLC; reprinted as Comus: […] (Dodd, Mead & Company’s Facsimile Reprints of Rare Books; Literature Series; no. I), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903, →OCLC, page 16, lines 447–452:
- What was that ſnakie headed Gorgon ſheild
That wiſe Minerva wore, unconquer’d virgin
Wherewith ſhe freez’d her foes to congeal’d ſtone?
But rigid looks of Chaſt auſteritie
And noble grace that daſh’t brute violence
With ſudden adoration, and blancke aw.
- 1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, book I, page 21:
- His Hat, adorn’d with Wings, diſclos’d the God,
And in his Hand he bore the Sleep-compelling Rod:
Such as he ſeem’d, when at his Sire’s Command
On Argus Head he laid the Snaky Wand; […]
Synonyms
[edit]- serpentine (all senses)
Translations
[edit]resembling or relating to snakes
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twisty — see twisty