different between rummage vs snoop

English

Etymology

From Old French arrumage (confer French arrimage), from arrumer (“to arrange the cargo in the hold”) (confer French arrimer and Spanish arrumar).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /???m.?d?/

Verb

rummage (third-person singular simple present rummages, present participle rummaging, simple past and past participle rummaged)

1. (transitive, nautical) To arrange (cargo, goods, etc.) in the hold of a ship; to move or rearrange such goods.
2. (transitive, nautical) To search a vessel for smuggled goods.

3. (transitive) To search something thoroughly and with disregard for the way in which things were arranged.
   • 30 August, 1632, James Howell, "To the Rt. Hon. the Lord Mohun" in Epistolæ Ho-Elianæ

     He […] searcheth his pockets, and taketh his keys, and so rummageth all his closets and trunks.

   • 1866, Matthew Arnold, The Study of Celtic Literature

     What schoolboy of us has not rummaged his Greek dictionary in vain for a satisfactory account!
   1. (intransitive) To hastily search for something in a confined space and among many items by carelessly turning things over or pushing things aside.

Translations

Noun

rummage (countable and uncountable, plural rummages)

1. A thorough search, usually resulting in disorder.

   Have a rummage through the attic and see if you can find anything worth selling.

   • May 24, 1753, Horace Walpole, letter to the Hon. H. S. Conway

     He has made such a general rummage and reform in the office of matrimony.

2. (obsolete) Commotion; disturbance.
3. A disorganized collection of miscellaneous objects; a jumble.
4. (nautical) A place or room for the stowage of cargo in a ship.
5. (nautical) The act of stowing cargo; the pulling and moving about of packages incident to close stowage.

   Synonym: (obsolete) romage

Related terms

• look
• quarry
• rake
• search

See also

• rummage sale

English

Etymology

From Dutch snoepen (“to pry, eat in secret, sneak”). Related to Dutch and Low German snappen (“to bite, seize”), Dutch snavel (“beak, bill, pecker, neb”), German Schnabel (“beak, bill, mouth”). More at snap.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /snu?p/
• enPR: sno?op
• Rhymes: -u?p

Verb

snoop (third-person singular simple present snoops, present participle snooping, simple past and past participle snooped)

1. To be devious and cunning so as not to be seen.
2. To secretly spy on or investigate, especially into the private personal life of others.

Related terms

• snoop around

Translations

Noun

snoop (plural snoops)

1. The act of snooping
2. One who snoops

3. A private detective

Translations

References

• 1996, T.F. Hoad, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Etymology, Oxford University Press, ?ISBN

Anagrams

• Poons, no-ops, opson, poons, spoon