sneak

Everyday

1. To sneak is to go somewhere quietly and secretly so nobody sees or hears you. tree →
2. To sneak something is to take or do it secretly: «sneak a biscuit». tree →
3. A sneak is a person who does things secretly or tells tales on others (UK, informal). tree →

In the lessons

In stories characters sneak past guards or sneak downstairs at night. In lessons about honesty, sneaking things is a kind of trick or lie. Phrases: «sneak in», «sneak out», «sneak up on», «sneak a look», «a sneak peek», «sneak attack».

Examples

• We sneaked into the kitchen for a midnight snack. tree →
• The cat sneaked up on the bird. tree →
• He tried to sneak a look at my answers. tree →
• Don't sneak out without telling your parents. tree →
• Here's a sneak peek of the new book! tree →
• She snuck a sweet into her pocket. tree →
• Now, one day Edmund made a new lantern out of something chemical that he sneaked from the school laboratory. tree →

Note

Past: «sneaked» (standard, UK and US) or «snuck» (common in the US, informal). Adjective: «sneaky». «Sneakers» (US) are trainers — soft shoes you can move quietly in.