Snoop
Verb
Etymology: from Dutch snoepen (= to eat something in a secret manner)
Intransitively
First definition: to search a place intrusively or surreptitiously; to be a snooper; to become snoopy
It may be approximately translated by espiar, in Spanish; spiare, in Italian; espionner, in French.
Synonyms: to spy, pry
Dogs always barked at everything impartially—when they were not gnawing surreptitiously at bones or snooping in corners for scraps.
B. M. Bower (The Long Shadow)
***With the adverb around, (or about) to imply that the snooper goes here and there:
One thing was sure. The attic was no longer a safe place for Mr. Bartlett's money. Not with Cathy snooping around, for she was a good finder.
Hazel Wilson (Jerry's Charge Account)
They decided to do a complete search of our barracks, looking for radios and, of course, they were always snooping about to learn where tunneling might be going on.
Jim Gamble (Innocents Abroad)
***With the preposition around, (or about), followed by a noun, designative of the place into which the snooper intrudes:
[I] wanted to tell you that he snooped around the campsite. I think he was spying on you.
Janet Post (Alligator Gold)
As we approached the shed I noticed a big lock on the door. We never noticed the lock before, but I guess we really never snooped around the shed enough before to realize it was locked.
Aaron Elkin (Pirate’s Gold)
[…] the property man snooped about Los Angeles cafes until he found what he sought in the basement of a fashionable restaurant.
Popular Mechanics, January 1933
She meant to snoop about Stokely’s house alone while their host was occupied at the card tables.
Sabrina Jeffries (One Night with a prince)
Second definition: to pry intrusively or surreptitiously into what is another’s; to look at someone or something in a prying manner.
***With the preposition on, followed by a noun, designative of the person or the thing that the snooper is spying:
[…] I had the task of searching Penny’s and Bubbles’ rooms. It seemed simple enough —but caution is always the better part of valor. I’d have to be careful to make sure no one snooped on me while I was snooping on them.
Janice Kilby (The master detective handbook)
Understand that IM isn’t a totally secure communication channel. Your conversation will probably never be snooped on, but for safety’s sake, don’t share […] passwords, social security numbers, credit card information […]
Nancy C – Linda Criddle (Using the Internet Safely…)
Evidence obtained by snooping on privileged conversations, such as husband-wife or lawyer-client, would be inadmissible.
Life, 1967
Transitively
Definition: to snoop on (something); to look at in a prying manner.
[Blake became asleep] while we watched a movie. I heard his phone vibrating and looked at it. Beth was calling. I snooped his voicemail […] and listened to her message.
Micalle Culver (Being the other woman)
