snick

1 of 4

verb (1)

ˈsnik 

snicked; snicking; snicks

transitive verb

1

archaic : to cut through

2

: to cut slightly

intransitive verb

: to perform a light cutting action

snick

2 of 4

noun (1)

: a small cut : nick

snick

3 of 4

verb (2)

snicked; snicking; snicks

: click

snick

4 of 4

noun (2)

: a slight often metallic sound : click

Examples of snick in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Its interior is almost luxurious for a vehicle in the mountain-goat division, its gearbox snicks with Japanese precision, and its stately coachwork can get by, more or less, in polite society. —Rich Ceppos, Car and Driver, 1 July 2023

Silence held for a few minutes, unbroken except for the snick of Didi’s scissors and the rattle of Adele’s beads. —Hannah Natanson, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2020

Verb

We were rewarded with a gearbox that delivers pure pleasure, snicking gears up, down, and sideways, and were reminded of the reason people actually might want to drive a car. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 2 May 2023

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

probably from obsolete snick or snee to engage in cut-and-thrust fighting — more at snickersnee

Verb (2)

imitative

First Known Use

Verb (1)

circa 1700, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

circa 1775, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1828, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1886, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

snick

1 of 2 verb

ˈsnik 

: to make or cause to make a snick

snick

2 of 2 noun

: a slight often metallic sound : click