snarl

snarl
    n 1: a vicious angry growl
    2: an angry vicious expression
    3: something jumbled or confused; "a tangle of government
       regulations" [syn: {tangle}, {snarl}, {maze}]
    v 1: utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone; "The sales clerk
         snapped a reply at the angry customer"; "The guard snarled
         at us" [syn: {snap}, {snarl}]
    2: make a snarling noise or move with a snarling noise; "Bullets
       snarled past us"
    3: twist together or entwine into a confusing mass; "The child
       entangled the cord" [syn: {entangle}, {tangle}, {mat},
       {snarl}] [ant: {disentangle}, {straighten out}, {unsnarl}]
    4: make more complicated or confused through entanglements [syn:
       {snarl}, {snarl up}, {embrangle}]
    

Snarl \Snarl\, n.
   The act of snarling; a growl; a surly or peevish expression;
   an angry contention.
   [1913 Webster]
    

Snarl \Snarl\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Snarled}; p. pr. & vvb. n.
   {Snarling}.] [Etymol. uncertain.]
   To form raised work upon the outer surface of (thin metal
   ware) by the repercussion of a snarling iron upon the inner
   surface.
   [1913 Webster]
    

Snarl \Snarl\, v. t. [From {Snare}, v. t.]
   1. To entangle; to complicate; to involve in knots; as, to
      snarl a skein of thread. "Her snarled hair." --Spenser.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To embarrass; to insnare.
      [1913 Webster]

            [The] question that they would have snarled him
            with.                                 --Latimer.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Snarl \Snarl\, n.
   A knot or complication of hair, thread, or the like,
   difficult to disentangle; entanglement; hence, intricate
   complication; embarrassing difficulty.
   [1913 Webster]
    

Snarl \Snarl\, v. i. [From {Snar}.]
   1. To growl, as an angry or surly dog; to gnarl; to utter
      grumbling sounds. "An angry cur snarls while he feeds."
      --Dryden & Lee.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To speak crossly; to talk in rude, surly terms.
      [1913 Webster]

            It is malicious and unmanly to snarl at the little
            lapses of a pen, from which Virgil himself stands
            not exempted.                         --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]
    

248 Moby Thesaurus words for "snarl":
      Chinese puzzle, Gordian knot, Rube Goldberg contraption, allure,
      altercation, argument, ataxia, bait the hook, ball up, bark, bawl,
      belch, bellow, bicker, birdlime, blare, blat, blood feud, blubber,
      boom, brawl, bray, breathe, broil, burden, burr, buzz, cackle,
      can of worms, catch, catch out, caw, chant, chaos, chirp, chirr,
      clang, clangor, clank, clash, clutter, color, complex, complexity,
      complicate, complication, confound, confuse, contention,
      controversy, coo, cramp, craunch, cripple, croak, crow, crump,
      crunch, cumber, decoy, difficulty, dilemma, disarray, disorder,
      dispute, donnybrook, donnybrook fair, drawl, embarrass, embrangle,
      embroilment, encumber, enmesh, ensnare, ensnarl, entangle,
      entanglement, entoil, entrammel, entrap, entwine, enweb, exclaim,
      fetter, feud, fight, fix, fliting, flush, flute, foul up, fracas,
      frown, fuss, gasp, gin, glare, glower, gnarl, grimace, grind,
      groan, growl, grumble, grunt, hamper, hamstring, handicap, hiss,
      hobble, hook, hook in, howl, huddle, imbroglio, impede, implicate,
      intricacy, intricateness, inveigle, involve, jam, jangle, jar,
      jungle, keen, kink, knot, labyrinth, lame, lilt, lime, logomachy,
      look daggers, louse up, lower, lumber, lure, mantle, maze, meander,
      mesh, mess, mess up, mishmash, mix up, moan, morass, moue, mow,
      muck up, muddle, mumble, murmur, mutter, net, noose, open quarrel,
      pant, perplex, pickle, pipe, polemic, pout, predicament,
      press down, problem, quandary, quarrel, ramify, rasp, ravel,
      redden, rictus, roar, rumble, saddle with, scowl, scramble,
      scranch, scrape, scratch, scream, screech, screw up, scrunch,
      shackle, sharp words, shriek, sibilate, sigh, sing, skein,
      slanging match, snafu, snag, snake pit, snap, snare, snarl up,
      sniggle, snore, snort, sob, sough, spat, spit, spread the toils,
      squabble, squall, squawk, squeal, strife, swarm, tangle,
      tangled skein, thunder, tiff, tight spot, toil, topsy-turviness,
      trammel, trap, trip, trumpet, tussle, twang, twist, vendetta, wail,
      warble, web, webwork, weigh down, wheels within wheels, whine,
      whisper, whistle, wilderness, wind, words, wrangle, wry face,
      wry mouth, yap, yawp, yell, yelp