Home › Glossary › Letter S

snare

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A trap, net, or noose for catching animals; a deceptive trick or enticement designed to catch the unwary; something that entraps or entangles victims.

Detailed Definition
“Snare” conveys hidden danger—love’s snare, fate’s snare. In poetry, it symbolizes entrapment through allure. The term’s softness masks threat. Poets use it to explore how desire or ambition ensnares, where snares test wisdom, reinforcing themes of freedom, caution, and the allure of the forbidden in lyrical and allegorical traditions.
Example
Example in poetry:
“The bird fell into the hunter’s snare,” in a natural allegory; In devotional poetry: “The soul escaped the snare of sin”; “Love’s snare is sweet, but binding”; “He laid a snare of words to catch her trust”; “The snare of flattery traps the proud”; Beware the snare that gleams with gold.
Additional Notes
“Snare” functions as both literal trap and metaphor for seduction or deceit; in amorous or cautionary poetry, lovers “ensnare” hearts, while devils “set snares,” blending erotic and spiritual danger in entangled imagery.
Also Known As
trap entrapment Ambush
Skip to main content