Middle English Dictionary Entry
snāre n.
Entry Info
| Forms | snāre n. Also snar(re, snair & (in names) sner(e-, snel-, smere-; pl. snar(r)es, snarus. |
| Etymology | OE snearu & ON: cp. OI snara. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A snare for catching birds; also, a trap for other animals.
Associated quotations
- a1325 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Trin-C O.2.21)790 : Snare [vrr. gyldyr, gryn, streing; glossing AF (Cmb): las].
- a1350 Flem.Insur.(Hrl 2253)83 : Þis frenshe come to flaundres..hue were laht by þe net so bryd is in snare, wiþ rouncin & wiþ stede.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 21.35 : Take ȝe heede to ȝou silf, lest..thilke day come sudeyn on ȝou; for as a snare [L laqueus] it schal come on alle men that sitten on the face of al erthe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)48b/b : Briddes & foules hauen likynge in melodye of swete voys in so moche þat ofte by swete soun þe fouler bryngeþ hym to grennes & to snares.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Eccl.9.12 : As fischis ben takun with an hook and as briddis ben takun with a snare, so men ben takun in yuel tyme.
- (?a1450) Oath Bk.Colchester4 : Tho that use snares, netts, castyng of stonys or settyng of hardles, or any odyr craft to distroye house dowes or any other tame fowle.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)228/5 : A byrde abstenez fro his mete if it see a snare, trappe, or grene.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)141/2 : Þe fowler..Many a gyn and many a snayr..maket, & mony he leset.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)15033 : Yiff the fowlere..Shewede hys gynnes and hys snarys..And hys nettys..Bryddes, ffor al hys grete peyne, Ther-to wolde neuer atteyne.
- a1475 Lydg.CB (Lngl 258)174 : The bride fligh forth..Then thought she thus, 'now that I stande fre, With snares, panters, I cast not, al my lyve Ner with noo lyme twigges, any more to stryve.'
- a1500 PFulham (Jas 43)99 : Sum fowlynge were goode to be lefte, Ther may no manes snares by othyr stond.
2.
Fig. of 1., usu. in phrase: in (the) ~: (a) peril, misfortune, affliction, etc.; also, a trick, plot, stratagem, etc.; an ambush; (b) a snare of sin or the devil, temptation; a lure, bait; (c) love's snare.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1490 : Arcite..litel wiste how neigh that was his care..Til that fortune had broght hym in the snare.
- c1390 ?Hilton Qui Habitat (Vrn)7/12 : In þis snare of worldli loue weore my feet fastned þat tyme whon i hadd no drede of god.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2368 : Salomon seith that the wordes of a flaterere is a snare to cacchen innocentz.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)9.16 : In þis snare whilke þai hid swa Gripen es þe fote ofe þa.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.2030 : Hector..Wrouȝt of hede Grekis for to spare Fatally whan þei were in þe snare.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)33/16 : Wight men of þe west neghed þam nerr, And gert þam snaper in þe snare.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)2 Kings 22.6 : The coordis of helle cumpassiden me; the snaris of deeth camen bifor me.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)93/23 : Stretche no snaris for to take men wiþ-all, ne purchace no harme to þem be aspiyng ne be willes.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Say.Nightingale (Trin-C R.3.20)303 : His crosse is..Hooke and snaare of þe Levyatan, Þe strong pressour of oure redempcycoun.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)957 : Lord, þou hase asayde vs here..Als siluer es asaide with fire; Þou hase vs vnto þe snare And made vs to haue angers þair.
- a1450 St.Kath.(3) (Richardson 44)39 : Hyt ys a fayre victory when an aduersary ys teyed in hys owen snares and ouercome by wytnesse of hys owen auctours.
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)100/25 : Women be snares arraide & strecched out to take with men to whome thei set theyme.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3273 : Have I nat enfourmyd ȝewe how & in what manere That I ȝew wold help, & bryng hem in the snare?
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)9.33 : In his snare, that is his gile, he sall meke the pore.
- c1500(1463) Ashby Pris.(Trin-C R.3.19)269 : Was there euyr lord so gret and so sure, Or any gret Clerk lernyd in the law, That may not fall in the snare and in the lure Of trouble?
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.571 : It is Cristes myght That helpeth folk out of the feendes snare.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)29532 : Þir pointes of cursing haf i said..þat þou mai lightloker þam here Ar þou be laght in findes snarr.
- a1425(c1300) NHom.(1) Martin AM (Cmb Gg.5.31)p.70 : Lord, what thyng sall passe qwyte And be noght in this snarres tane?
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)1 Tim.6.9 : Thei that wolen be maad riche fallen in to temptacioun and in to snare [WB(1) vr. snaare] of the deuel.
- c1440(a1349) Rolle 10 Com.(Thrn)10/11 : Mawmetryse, all wychcrafte and charemynge..erre þe snarrys of þe deuelle.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)70/8 : Þe oolde enemye..seceth not to stretche his snaris of temptacions ouer all.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)81/25 : An autor seith þat þe sowne of þe instrument is þe snare of þe serpent [Othea: meyte of þe deuel].
- a1450(c1400) Wor.Serm.(Wor F.10)59/274 : Vr sowle is deliuerid of þe grene oþ þe snar þat te deuels temptaciuns had telt for him.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)12/14 : In þe xxix ȝere of his age spak he with Faustus, a grete snare of þe deuele, for þis man was þe moost famous heretik of all þe Manicheis, but he was ful famous in fayre endytyng.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)131/15 : Þe snare of liking and lustis is a boute privily forto deceyve vs.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)855 : Yf ȝe fele ȝoursylfe trappyd in þe snare of your gostly enmy, Aske mercy anon.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.16 : Woman is þe fendis snare.
c
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3166 : Lovers..haue no myȝt nor power to be ware Til þei vnwarly be trapped in þe snare.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.663 : Love hadde hym so bounden in a snare, Al for the doughter of the kynge Amete, That al his craft ne koude his sorwes bete.
3.
(a) A noose, hangman's halter; in ~ wise, in the manner of a noose; (b) surg. a loop with a running knot used to tie off a vessel or necrotic tissue; (c) a snare-like device used to catch and deflect a battering ram; (d) a fetter, shackle [glossing L pedica].
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.209 : Valentinianus Augustus was sory of his lyf for þe grete cruelnesse of Argobastes, þe maister of knyȝtes, and heng hym self wiþ a snare.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Mat.27.5 : Whanne he hadde cast forth the siluer in the temple, he..ȝede and hongide hym silf with a snare.
- c1450 Gt.Chron.(Gldh 3313)48 : The duke of Gloucestre..was foule mordered atte Caleys..with two towailes made in snare wyse and put aboute his nekke.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.2227 : But many oon can neuer be ware Thoughe he be put to grete grevaunce Till his hede be hanged vp in a snare..Wold men Remembre what sorow and myschaunce Cometh of Robberie, it shold not be so leif.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)64a/a : Þu shale do more vnfallacely putting aboutforþ a snare to þe rote of þe vessel.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)78a/a : If zirbus forsoþ go out & be denigrate & corrupt, be þe parte denigrate take wiþ snare..And be þe parte þat is after or bihinde þe snare kut away.
c
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)106b : Some makeþ as hit were a grene of roopes wiþ a ridyng knotte and in þe comynge of þe strook þei caccheþ þe hede of þe Ram in þilke snare and pulleth a litel a side.
d
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)48a/b : Pedica: a fetre or a snarre.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)461 : Snare..pedica.
- a1500 Hal.Gloss.(Eg 829)7 : Pedica: a snare.
4.
In surname and place names [see Smith PNElem.2. 132].
Associated quotations
- (c1197) in Wallenberg PNKent478 : Snergathe.
- (c1210) in Wallenberg PNKent478 : Snargate.
- (1226) in Wallenberg PNKent478 : Snelgate.
- (1240) in Wallenberg PNKent478 : Sneregate.
- (1261-2) in Wallenberg PNKent478 : Smeregate.
- (1378) in Ewen Surnames Brit.158 : Matilda Snere.
- (1424) in Wallenberg PNKent567 : Snargatward.