snarl

Etymology 1

From Middle English snarlen, frequentative of snaren (“to trap, tangle”). Equivalent to snare + -le.

verb

1. (transitive) To entangle; to complicate; to involve in knots.
   to snarl a skein of thread
2. (intransitive) To become entangled.
3. (transitive) To place in an embarrassing situation; to ensnare; to make overly complicated.
   November 9, 1550, Hugh Latimer, Sermon Preached at Stanford [the] question that they would have snarled him with
4. (transitive, intransitive) To be congested in traffic, or to make traffic congested.
5. To form raised work upon the outer surface of (thin metal ware) by the repercussion of a snarling iron upon the inner surface.

noun

1. A knot or complication of hair, thread, or the like, difficult to disentangle.
2. An intricate complication; a problematic difficulty; a knotty or tangled situation.
3. A slow-moving traffic jam.
   The biggest cities feel the most acute impact of the last mile – of the squads of trucks and vans, the parcel hubs and sorting centres, the parking snarls and the discarded boxes. November 21 2019, Samanth Subramanian, “How our home delivery habit reshaped the world”, in The Guardian

Etymology 2

Frequentative of earlier snar (“to growl”), perhaps from Middle Low German snorren (“to drone”), of probably imitative origin. Equivalent to snar + -le. Related to German schnarren (“to rattle”) and schnurren (“to hum, buzz”).

verb

1. (intransitive) To growl angrily by gnashing or baring the teeth; to gnarl; to utter grumbling sounds.
2. (transitive) To complain angrily; to utter growlingly.
3. (intransitive) To speak crossly; to talk in rude, surly terms.

noun

1. The act of snarling; a growl; a surly or peevish expression; an angry contention.
2. A growl, for example that of an angry or surly dog, or similar; grumbling sounds.
3. A squabble.