Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A bit for a horse, consisting of two bars joined at the center, as by a joint.
- transitive verb To put on or control with a snaffle.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A bridle consisting of a slender bit-mouth with a single rein and without a curb; a snaffle-bit.
- To bridle; hold or manage with a bridle.
- To clutch or seize by the snaffle.
- To speak through the nose.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A kind of bridle bit, having a joint in the part to be placed in the mouth, and rings and cheek pieces at the ends, but having no curb; -- called also
snaffle bit . - transitive verb To put a snaffle in the mouth of; to subject to the snaffle; to bridle.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A broad-mouthed, loose-ringed
bit (metal in a horse's mouth). It brings pressure to bear on the tongue and bars and corners of the mouth. Often used as a training bit. - verb to put on, or control with, a snaffle
- verb to
grab orseize ; tosnap up - verb informal to
purloin , orobtain bydevious means
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb get hold of or seize quickly and easily
- noun a simple jointed bit for a horse; without a curb
- verb fit or restrain with a snaffle
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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The top rein ring is located next to the mouthpiece, as in a snaffle, and the rein that attaches to it is thus called the snaffle rein.
A Horseman 2006
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He muttered something that a snaffle was the safest bit a sinner could place faith in -- assumed the mantle of prophecy -- foretold, as it would appear, troublous times to be in rapid advent -- and inculcated that faith should be placed in heaven, and powder kept very dry.
International Weekly Miscellany - Volume 1, No. 5, July 29, 1850 Various
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In Ireland, where the large majority of our hunters come from, the snaffle is the bit used in breaking and hunting, as it is in steeple-chasing; and although our Irish neighbours find the curb has its advantages, we must admit that they keep it in its proper place and do not allow it to usurp the snaffle when riding over fences.
The Horsewoman A Practical Guide to Side-Saddle Riding, 2nd. Ed. Alice M. Hayes 1873
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If the snaffle is to be the predominant bit, its reins should be on the outside, and the curb-reins slack.
The Horsewoman A Practical Guide to Side-Saddle Riding, 2nd. Ed. Alice M. Hayes 1873
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Fig. 12 for holding the horse to a hunting or racing gallop on a snaffle is the same as Fig. 9, but with the fists closed.
Hints on Horsemanship, to a Nephew and Niece or, Common Sense and Common Errors in Common Riding George Greenwood 1837
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For instance, on the Thursday night I visited, you could snaffle a plate of gussied-up sausage and mash for £8.95.
Top 10 best budget restaurants in Cheltenham and Gloucester 2012
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Dorothy – what lovely advice from your advisor and I think I will have to snaffle that myself to pass on to the students!
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Bits that act with direct pressure on the tongue and lips of the bit are in the general category of snaffle bits.
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Their jaws, it turns out, were simply too weak to snaffle a sheep.
Simon Welfare: A Tiger Killed by Hype Simon Welfare 2011
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Their jaws, it turns out, were simply too weak to snaffle a sheep.
Simon Welfare: A Tiger Killed by Hype Simon Welfare 2011
reesetee commented on the word snaffle
A jointed bit for a horse.
October 15, 2007