snag, n. [Prov. E., n., a lump on a tree where a branch has been cut off; v., to cut off the twigs and small branches from a tree, of Celtic origin; cf. Gael. snaigh, snaidh, to cut down, to prune, to sharpen, p. p. snaighte, snaidhte, cut off, lopped, Ir. snaigh a hewing, cutting.].

A stump or base of a branch that has been lopped off; a short branch, or a sharp or rough branch; a knot; a protuberance. [1913 Webster]
"The coat of arms
Now on a naked snag in triumph borne." [1913 Webster]
A tooth projecting beyond the rest; contemptuously, a broken or decayed tooth. Prior. [1913 Webster]
A tree, or a branch of a tree, fixed in the bottom of a river or other navigable water, and rising nearly or quite to the surface, by which boats are sometimes pierced and sunk. [1913 Webster]
One of the secondary branches of an antler. [1913 Webster]
"How thy snag teeth stand orderly,
Like stakes which strut by the water side." [1913 Webster]

Snag boat, a steamboat fitted with apparatus for removing snags and other obstructions in navigable streams. [U.S.] -- Snag tooth. Same as Snag, 2.

snag, v. t.

To cut the snags or branches from, as the stem of a tree; to hew roughly. Halliwell. [1913 Webster]
To injure or destroy, as a steamboat or other vessel, by a snag, or projecting part of a sunken tree. [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

snag, n. & v.
--n.
1 an unexpected or hidden obstacle or drawback.
2 a jagged or projecting point or broken stump.
3 a tear in material etc.
4 a short tine of an antler.
--v.tr. (snagged, snagging)
1 catch or tear on a snag.
2 clear (land, a waterway, a tree-trunk, etc.) of snags.
3 US catch or obtain by quick action.

Derivative

snagged adj. snaggy adj.

snag, n. (usu. in pl.) Austral. sl. a sausage.

Etymology

20th c.: orig. unkn.

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THESAURUS

snag

baby tooth, bag, bar, bicuspid, blemish, block, blockade, bottleneck, brake, bucktooth, bug, canine, catch, clog, cog, comb, complication, coral heads, cordon, crack, crag, crimp, crown, crux, curb, curtain, cuspid, cutter, deciduous tooth, defect, defection, deficiency, dent, denticle, denticulation, dentil, dentition, determent, deterrent, difficulty, dogtooth, drag, drawback, enmesh, ensnare, entangle, entrap, eyetooth, failing, failure, fang, fault, faute, flaw, foible, fore tooth, foul, frailty, gagtooth, gang tooth, gold tooth, grinder, hamper, hang-up, harpoon, harrow, hazard, hindrance, hitch, hold-up, hole, hook, hurdle, impediment, imperfection, inadequacy, incisor, infirmity, ironbound coast, jag, joker, kink, land, lasso, ledges, lee shore, little problem, mesh, milk tooth, molar, nail, net, noose, objection, obstacle, obstruction, obstructive, one small difficulty, peak, pecten, peg, permanent tooth, pinch, pitfall, pivot tooth, premolar, problem, projection, quicksands, rake, ratchet, rift, rip, rockbound coast, rocks, rope, rub, sack, sandbank, sandbar, sands, sawtooth, scrivello, shallows, shoals, shortcoming, snaggle, snaggletooth, snare, sniggle, something missing, spear, spire, sprocket, spur, steeple, stricture, stumbling block, stumbling stone, taint, take, tangle, tangle up with, tear, tooth, trap, traverse, tush, tusk, undercurrent, undertow, vulnerable place, weak link, weak point, weakness, wisdom tooth

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ROGET THESAURUS

snag

Hindrance

N hindrance, prevention, preclusion, obstruction, stoppage, embolus, embolism, infarct, interruption, interception, interclusion, hindrance, impedition, retardment, retardation, embarrassment, oppilation, coarctation, stricture, restriction, restraint, inhibition, blockade, interference, interposition, obtrusion, discouragement, discountenance, impediment, let, obstacle, obstruction, knot, knag, check, hitch, contretemps, screw loose, grit in the oil, bar, stile, barrier, turnstile, turnpike, gate, portcullis, beaver dam, trocha, barricade, wall, dead wall, sea wall, levee breakwater, groyne, bulkhead, block, buffer, stopper, boom, dam, weir, burrock, drawback, objection, stumbling-block, stumbling-stone, lion in the path, snag, snags and sawyers, encumbrance, incumbrance, clog, skid, shoe, spoke, drag, drag chain, drag weight, stay, stop, preventive, prophylactic, load, burden, fardel, onus, millstone round one's neck, impedimenta, dead weight, lumber, pack, nightmare, Ephialtes, incubus, old man of the sea, remora, difficulty, insuperable, obstacle, estoppel, ill wind, head wind, trammel, tether, hold back, counterpoise, damper, wet blanket, hinderer, marplot, killjoy, party pooper, party crasher, interloper, trail of a red herring, opponent, hindering, obstructive, obstruent, impeditive, impedient, intercipient, prophylactic, impedimentary, in the way of, unfavorable, onerous, burdensome, cumbrous, cumbersome, obtrusive, hindered, windbound, waterlogged, heavy laden, hard pressed, unassisted &c (assist), single-handed, alone, deserted, occurrent nubes.

Convexity

N convexity, prominence, projection, swelling, gibbosity, bilge, bulge, protuberance, protrusion, camber, cahot, thank-ye-ma'am, swell, intumescence, tumour, tumor, tubercle, tuberosity, excrescence, hump, hunch, bunch, boss, embossment, hub, hubble, tooth, knob, elbow, process, apophysis, condyle, bulb, node, nodule, nodosity, tongue, dorsum, bump, clump, sugar loaf, bow, mamelon, molar, belly, corporation, pot belly, gut, withers, back, shoulder, lip, flange, pimple, zit, wen, wheel, papula, pustule, pock, proud flesh, growth, sarcoma, caruncle, corn, wart, pappiloma, furuncle, polypus, fungus, fungosity, exostosis, bleb, blister, blain, boil, airbubble, blob, papule, verruca, papilla, nipple, teat, tit, titty, boob, knocker, pap, breast, dug, mammilla, proboscis, nose, neb, beak, snout, nozzle, schnoz, peg, button, stud, ridge, rib, jutty, trunnion, snag, cupola, dome, arch, balcony, eaves, pilaster, relief, relievo, cameo, bassorilievo, mezzorilevo, altorivievo, low relief, bas relief, high relief, hill, cape, promontory, mull, forehead, foreland, point of land, mole, jetty, hummock, ledge, spur, naze, ness, convex, prominent, protuberant, projecting, bossed, embossed, bossy, nodular, bunchy, clavate, clavated, claviform, hummocky, moutonne, mammiliform, papulous, papilose, hemispheric, bulbous, bowed, arched, bold, bellied, tuberous, tuberculous, tumous, cornute, odontoid, lentiform, lenticular, gibbous, club shaped, hubby, hubbly, knobby, papillose, saddle-shaped, selliform, subclavate, torose, ventricose, verrucose, salient, in relief, raised, repousse, bloated, (expanded).

Sharpness

N sharpness, acuity, acumination, spinosity, point, spike, spine, spicule, spiculum, needle, hypodermic needle, tack, nail, pin, prick, prickle, spur, rowel, barb, spit, cusp, horn, antler, snag, tag thorn, bristle, Adam's needle, bear grass, tine, yucca, nib, tooth, tusk, spoke, cog, ratchet, crag, crest, arete, cone peak, sugar loaf, pike, aiguille, spire, pyramid, steeple, beard, chevaux de frise, porcupine, hedgehog, brier, bramble, thistle, comb, awn, beggar's lice, bur, burr, catchweed, cleavers, clivers, goose, grass, hairif, hariff, flax comb, hackle, hatchel, heckle, wedge, knife edge, cutting edge, blade, edge tool, cutlery, knife, penknife, whittle, razor, razor blade, safety razor, straight razor, electric razor, scalpel, bistoury, lancet, plowshare, coulter, colter, hatchet, ax, pickax, mattock, pick, adze, gill, billhook, cleaver, cutter, scythe, sickle, scissors, shears, pruning shears, cutters, wire cutters, nail clipper, paper cutter, sword, bodkin, belduque, bowie knife, paring knife, bushwhacker, drawing knife, drawing shave, microtome, chisel, screwdriver blade, flint blade, guillotine, sharpener, hone, strop, grindstone, whetstone, novaculite, steel, emery, sharp, keen, acute, acicular, aciform, aculeated, acuminated, pointed, tapering, conical, pyramidal, mucronate, mucronated, spindle shaped, needle shaped, spiked, spiky, ensiform, peaked, salient, cusped, cuspidate, cuspidated, cornute, cornuted, cornicultate, prickly, spiny, spinous, spicular, thorny, bristling, muricated, pectinated, studded, thistly, briary, craggy, snaggy, digitated, two-edged, fusiform, dentiform, denticulated, toothed, odontoid, starlike, stellated, stelliform, sagittate, sagittiform, arrowheaded, arrowy, barbed, spurred, acinaciform, apiculate, apiculated, aristate, awned, awny, bearded, calamiform, cone-shaped, coniform, crestate, echinate, gladiate, lanceolate, lanciform, awl, awl-shaped, lance-shaped, awl- shaped, scimitar-shaped, sword-shaped, setarious, spinuliferous, subulate, tetrahedral, xiphoid, cutting, sharp edged, knife edged, sharp as a razor, keen as a razor, sharp as a needle, sharp as a tack, sharpened, set.

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