sneaked or snuck?

[andave_ya]

Having been taught to say sneaked, I cringe whenever I hear/read the word snuck. Yesterday I wanted some light reading and I came across THAT word...:flare:...

But it pops up so often.

So, what do you say? Sneaked...or snuck?

[bekaboo2u]

i say i snuck it :D:D

[Niamh]

"I snuck out", but "i sneaked a peak". two different contexts.

[Emil Miller]

Having been taught to say sneaked, I cringe whenever I hear/read the word snuck. Yesterday I wanted some light reading and I came across THAT word...:flare:...

But it pops up so often.

So, what do you say? Sneaked...or snuck?


Without wishing to sound pedantic, it's just another attack on the language which has been under seige for some time now. What about the use of gotten instead of got and anyways for anyway. It isn't natural development just blatant misuse.

[Shalot]

I always read "sneaked" in books so I assume that's "correct." But where I live we say "snuck."

Here's another: past tense of stink: is it stank or stunk? And shat? Is that an acceptable past tense? Oh, I make me giggle. :lol:

[librarius_qui]

Without wishing to sound pedantic, it's just another attack on the language which has been under seige for some time now. What about the use of gotten instead of got and anyways for anyway. It isn't natural development just blatant misuse.

Languages change, indeed, from generations to generations. Changes aren't always accepted, but they happen, whether we like them or not. Specially with English, which, like Latin, will be language used by many peoples for still quite a long while, I believe ... The world has created a tradition of learning English. However French lasted for two centuries and a half ... (Well, English as a (partial) universal language (together with Spanish, and growing Chinese (?)) is officially "in the market" for about fifty years. It's one lenth of generation. (I have a theory, not yet, maybe never, scientific, that there are generations of 30, of 60, and of 100 years ...)

So, as well as Latin suffered "missuse" and became many "other" languages (Italian, French(es), Spanish(es), Portuguese & Romanian Latins), so possibly English may become something(s) else, into some (hundreds of) years ...

I use sneaked, gotten and anyway for formal speech, anyways for informal. Besides "u"s in neighbour, colour, favour, ... I kind of think it's old fashioned. (I don't know whether even British use this anylonger, but I like it! :D )

(And, specially writing, language is a matter of choices, at least in details ...)


Libri##

[Silas Thorne]

If languages didn't change, how would we have a song 'The most loneliest day'?
It's more better this way. ;)

[Virgil]

Having been taught to say sneaked, I cringe whenever I hear/read the word snuck. Yesterday I wanted some light reading and I came across THAT word...:flare:...

But it pops up so often.

So, what do you say? Sneaked...or snuck?

M-W has it as optional.


Main Entry: 1sneak
Pronunciation: \ˈsnēk\
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): sneaked \ˈsnēkt\ or snuck \ˈsnək\ ; sneak·ing
Etymology: akin to Old English snīcan to sneak along, Old Norse snīkja
Date: 1594
intransitive verb
1 : to go stealthily or furtively : slink <snuck out early>
2 : to act in or as if in a furtive manner
3 : to carry the football on a quarterback sneak
transitive verb
: to put, bring, or take in a furtive or artful manner <sneak a smoke>

[JBI]

My OED doesn't have an entry for sneaked, and gives Snuck as the correct form, though notes it is used mostly in the States.




sneak (_____), v. Also 6 sneke, 7 sneek, sneake. pa. tense and pple. also (orig. and chiefly U.S.) snuck.
[Of doubtful origin: the form does not agree with that of early ME. sn_ken, OE. snícan to creep, crawl (cf. ON. sníkja, Norw. snikja, Da. snige, in senses similar to ‘sneak’), and the historical gap is very great. The stem sneak- appears a little earlier in sneakish(ly a. and adv.]
I. intr.
1. To move, go, walk, etc., in a stealthy or slinking manner; to creep or steal furtively, as if ashamed or afraid to be seen; to slink, skulk:
a. With advs., as away, down, in, off, out, etc.
1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, iv. iii. 58 A poore vnminded Out~law, sneaking home.
1604 Dekker Honest Wh. Wks. 1873 II. 138, I hope he will not sneake away with all the money.
1625 B. Jonson Staple of N. ii. iv, Where’s Madrigall? Is he sneek’d hence?
1709 Steele Tatler No. 9 _3 Miss having heard enough, sneaks off for Fear of Discovery.
1740*2 Richardson Pamela (1824) I. xix. 31 [The cook] was hot with her work; and I sneaked away.
1844 Dickens Mart. Chuz. xlvii, To avoid people, and sneak on unobserved.
1877 Black Green Past. i, The two women were sneaking off by themselves.
1887 Lantern (New Orleans) 17 Dec. 3/3 He grubbed ten dollars from de bums an den snuck home.
1932 J. T. Farrell Young Lonigan ii. 55 They had all snuck in and were having a good time, making trouble.
1969 Oz May 3/1 It was sticking out of a dustbin–the mag I mean..so I snuck off to the park and had a good old read.
1976 S. Brett So Much Blood xvi. 191 At the interval Charles and Frances snuck out to the pub.
1979 Vassar Q. Summer 17/3, I have come around the back way and snuck up, as we say in Nebraska, on my subject.
fig. and transf.
1643 Wither Campo-Musæ 72 That Delusion Which had so hotly charg’d me, sneaked thence.
a1661 Fuller Worthies, Sussex iii. 96 When the Sun ariseth the Moon sneaketh down obscurely.
1857 S. Osborn Quedah xii. 159 Towards dusk a small canoe sneaked out, under the plea of fishing.
b. With preps., as about, after, from, into, etc.
1599 Shakes. Hen. V, i. ii. 171 To her vnguarded Nest, the Weazell (Scot) Comes sneaking.
1607 Fletcher Woman Hater v. iv, There are they still poor rogues,..sneaking after cheeses.
1609 Rowlands Dr. Merrie-man (Hunterian Cl.) 20 The Rusticke..softly sneaking out of doores, About his message goes.
1714 Pope Let. to Caryll 25 Sept., I have..sneaked along the walks with that astonished and diffident air [etc.].
1749 Smollett Gil Blas i. xiii, But I made no reply, and very wisely condescended to sneak into the straw.
1825 T. Hook Sayings Ser. ii. Man of Many Fr. II. 51 They..sneaked from my door with every mark of..servile cowardice.
1835 Sir J. Ross Narr. 2nd Voy. ii. 22 Appearing disorderly and dirty, as they..sneaked about the ship.
1879 E. K. Bates Egypt. Bonds II. viii. 191 Like truant schoolboys who sneak into the busy schoolroom.
1940 R. Chandler Farewell, my Lovely vi. 36, I snuck in there and grabbed it.
1958 J. Kerouac On Road ii. viii. 159 Four sullen fieldworkers, snuck from their chores to brawl in drinking fields.
fig.
1726 De Foe Hist. Devil ii. v, Being ashamed, as well as discouraged, they sneaked out of the world as well as they could.
1838 Emerson Address, Cambridge Wks. (Bohn) II. 200 Now man is ashamed of himself; he skulks and sneaks through the world.
1871 Browning Balaustion 1549 To thee who livest now Through having sneaked past fate apportioned thee.
c. Without const. (Freq. used to denote want of courage, independence, or straightforwardness, without reference to place or movement.)
1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. (1848) 358 As these Russians could not take a better way than that of not sneaking, to avoid the having their Rites and Persons undervalu’d.
1682 N. O. Boileau’s Lutrin ii. 184 For he..scorn’d to stand, and sneak with hands in Pocket.
1699 Bentley Phalaris xi. 266 He sneak’d like a ****, that hangs down his wings when he’s beaten.
1732 Pope Ep. Cobham 154 Tom struts a Soldier,..Will sneaks a Scriv’ner, an exceeding knave.
1779 Johnson L.P., Pope, Pope was reduced to sneak and shuffle, sometimes to deny, and sometimes to apologize.
1845 Nonconformist V. 133 Law..may allow..them to sneak–but law cannot wipe away the reproach of sneaking.
1861 Geo. Eliot Silas M. ix, If you know where he’s sneaking..you may tell him to spare himself the journey o’ coming back home.
fig.
1633 G. Herbert Temple, Ch. Militant 121 Thus Sinne in Egypt sneaked for a while.
1692 Vindication 15 Vice..always sneaks when bravely born up to.
1765 Beattie Judgm. of Paris cii, Coward Office..sneaks secure in insolence of state.
1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. II. 83 How blest she’d been,..If, ere want sneak’d for grudg’d support from pride [etc.].
d. U.S. colloq. To make off quietly.
1896 G. Ade Artie 7 I’d a’ sneaked early in the game.
1901 Scribner’s Mag. Apr. 409/1 When you get over the fence,..yell fire till the crowd comes, then sneak.
2. To cringe or be servile to (a person, etc.).
c1660 South Serm. (1715) I. 32, I need salute no great Man’s Threshold, sneak to none of his Friends or Servants.
a1704 T. Brown Oxford Scholars Wks. 1730 I. 10 Pitiful curates and chaplains, that must sneak to the groom and butler.
1796 Burke Corr. (1844) IV. 383 We sneak to the regicides, but we boldly trample on our poor fellow-citizens.
1873 Browning Red. Cott. Nt.-cap. iv. 257 Why else to me..Sneak, cap in hand, now bribe me to forsake My maimed Léonce, now bully, cap on head.
transf.
1707 Hearne Collect. 30 Sept., Our Bishops sneak to the old Cause.
3. School slang. To peach, inform, tell tales.
1897 Daily News 3 June 7/2 Sneaking, in the ethics of public school boys, is the unpardonable sin.
1902 Spectator July 46/2 The boys..usually prefer to suffer rather than ‘sneak’ of one of their companions.
II. trans.
4. To turn or draw aside, to put or thrust in or into, to move or slide to, etc., in a stealthy manner.
1648 J. Beaumont Psyche i. xlvii, Stout Trees..From this dire Breath sneak’d their faint heads aside.
1684 Otway Atheist iii. i, Sneak what Ready-mony thou hast into my Hand.
1754 Connoisseur No. 32 _3, I see a man every minute stealing out a dirty muckender, then sneaking it in again.
1889 Macm. Mag. Aug. 253/1, I lay stirless, softly sneaking my right hand to the pistol.
1892 Gunter Miss Dividends (1893) 275 When Lawrence’s name comes up for membership, he sneaks in a black-ball, as many another prig..has done before.
1968 J. M. Ullman Lady on Fire (1969) xii. 160 You’ve got a new lead. Maybe something the sister told you after you snuck her out of that hotel.
1971 D. E. Westlake I gave at Office (1972) 12 There was some suspicion that a couple of guests had snuck friends in.
1979 R. Jaffe Class Reunion i. vii. 69 He wanted to sneak her into his room.
refl.
1680 Advice to Soldier ii. in Harl. Misc. (1753) I. 467, I have seen some of those Gallants..in the Middle of a Sea-fight,..sneak themselves behind the Main-mast.
b. To keep out of sight; to hide. rare1.
1701 Wake Ration. 222 (Todd), Some sins dare the world in open defiance, yet this [sc. slander] lurks, and sneaks its head.
c. To pass through in an underhand or stealthy manner.
1891 Daily News 29 Jan. 2/4 Mr. Stephens..objected.. to this cruel and unjust Bill being ‘sneaked’ through Parliament.
1896 Voice (N.Y.) 5 Mar. 2/4 A most important measure is being sneaked through the general assembly.
† 5. To do or act (one’s part) in a sneaking or cringing manner. Obs.1
1649 G. Daniel Trinarch., Hen. V, ccxcii, Something hidden lifts the Thought To Noble Actions, when they heare ’em told, And Hee who Sneaks his part, will praise ’em bold.
6. a. Cant. (See quot.)
1812 J. H. Vaux Flash Dict. s.v., To sneak a place is to rob it upon the sneak.
Ibid., One or more persons having escaped from their confinement by stealth, without..alarming their keepers, are said to have sneak’d ’em.
b. colloq. To steal in a sneaking or stealthy manner; to filch; to take or partake of surreptitiously.
1883 Daily News 14 Sept. 3/7 The various kinds of people who visit public libraries for other than legitimate purposes, such as..those who sneaked umbrellas, and those who stole books.
1889 Jerome Three Men in Boat ix. 142 Somebody must have sneaked it, and run off with it.
1900 Dialect Notes II. 61 Sneak, to appropriate.
1921 E. O’Neill Emperor Jones i. 160 When I sleeps, dey sneaks a sleep, too, and I pretends I never suspicions it.
a1953 — More Stately Mansions (1964) ii. iii. 136 Each sneaks a suspicious, probing glance at the other.
1955 J. H. O’Hara Ten North Frederick (1956) 34, I can sneak us another drink.
1956 M. Duggan Immanuel’s Land 107 The conductor stood on the bucking platform, sneaking a cigarette.
1968 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 17 Feb. 6/2 If they did have these smoking areas..the students wouldn’t have to sneak a smoke in the washroom.
1978 J. Irving World according to Garp ii. 30 He was happy to run errands for the patients, deliver messages, sneak food.

[GX4146]

sneakers or snuckers?

lol

[Emil Miller]

I've just read that it's a colloquialism.
Therefore, correct grammar it most definitely ain't

[kasie]

..... "u"s in neighbour, colour, favour, ... I kind of think it's old fashioned. I don't know whether even British use this anylonger......Libri##

We most certainly do! And theatre. And programme (except on computers which have programs because they are American).

[Remarkable]

We most certainly do! And theatre. And programme (except on computers which have programs because they are American).

I always use the "u" but "Word" underlines it red and I get so angry because I like the British style:p...

[Virgil]

My OED doesn't have an entry for sneaked, and gives Snuck as the correct form, though notes it is used mostly in the States.


I would think it would be. Snuck is an inflected version, and old english was a completely inflected language. The "-ed" ending for past tenses is a post old english evolution.

Is there an on line version of OED? Or is that from a disk you bought.

[TheFifthElement]

My OED has sneaked as the correct form and snuck as mainly American usage.

[Virgil]

My OED has sneaked as the correct form and snuck as mainly American usage.

Oh goodness. Do I have to look at my OED? Mine is a hard copy book form that one needs a magnifying glass to read the entries.