snell

Etymology 1

From Middle English snell (“quick, fast”) from Old English snel, snell (“lively, quick”) from Proto-West Germanic *snell, from Proto-Germanic *snellaz (“active, swift, brisk”). Akin to Old Saxon snel, snell (“active, strenuous”), Dutch snel, Old High German snel (whence German schnell (“quick, swift”), Yiddish שנעל (shnel, “quick, swift”), Italian snello (“quick, nimble”), Old French esnel, isnel (“snell”), and Occitan isnel, irnel (“snell”)), Old Norse snjallr (“skilful, excellent”) (whence Danish snild (“clever”)).

adj

1. Quick, smart; sharp, active, brisk or nimble; lively.
   That in ilk action, wise and snell / You may shaw Manly fire. 1720, Allan Ramsay, Edinburgh's Salutation to Lord Carnarvon
   That horny-handed, snell, peremptory little man. 1852, John Brown, Rab and his Friends
   Amos is a lithe, keen, snell man. 1889, James Robertson, The Early Religion of Israel
2. Quick-witted; clever.
   With all this heavy artillery, somewhat slow and cumbrous, on great questions, he had no want, when he was speaking off-hand, of quick, snell remark, often witty and full of spirit, and often too unexpected, like lightning—flashing, smiting, and gone. 1861, John Brown, Horæ Subsecivæ
3. Harsh, severe, or stinging.
   Conscience is a rough lad, I grant you, and I am keen and snell also; but never mind, take his advice, and you’ll be some credit to your freens yet, ye scoonrel. 1833, Michael Scott, Tom Cringle's Log
   Fortunately, we were well prepared for such an emergency, and being sheltered in a safe creek, we roofed the ship with canvas against the snow; and so, with land on every side of us, plenty of moss fuel ashore, a good stock of provisions, and firearms for hunting, we held our trouble, and passed the snell season without the loss of a single soul aboard. 1881, Robert Buchanan, God and the Man

adv

1. Alternative form of snelly

Etymology 2

Unknown

noun

1. A short line of horsehair, gut, monofilament, etc., by which a fishhook or lure is attached to a longer (and usually heavier) line.
   He tied on new baited snells and recovered the current with the oars. 1979, Cormac McCarthy, Suttree, Random House, page 194

verb

1. To tie a hook to the end of a fishing line with a snell knot.
   Can you show me how to snell a hook?