| 词源 |
snipe n.a name of various small, long-billed marsh birds, early 14c., from Old Norse -snipa in myrisnipa "moor snipe;" perhaps a common Germanic term (compare Old Saxon sneppa, Middle Dutch snippe, Dutch snip, Old High German snepfa, German Schnepfe "snipe," Swedish snäppa "sandpiper"), perhaps originally "snipper" (and so called for its long, straight bill). The Old English name was snite, which is of uncertain derivation. An opprobrious term (see guttersnipe) since c. 1600. snipe v. "shoot ar (men) one by one at long range from a hidden place," 1773 (among British soldiers in India), in reference to hunting snipe as game, from snipe (n.). Compare sniper. The figurative use is by 1892. Related: Sniped; sniping. updated on February 05, 2023 |