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Snell vs Skell - What's the difference?

snell | skell |

As nouns the difference between snell and skell

is that snell is a short line of horsehair, gut, monofilament, etc., by which a fishhook or lure is attached to a longer (and usually heavier) line while skell is a homeless person, especially one who sleeps in the New York subway.

As verbs the difference between snell and skell

is that snell is to tie a hook to the end of a fishing line with a snell knot while skell is to fall off or fall over.

As an adjective snell

is active, brisk or nimble; lively.

As a proper noun Snell

is {{surname}.

snell

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) ).

Adjective

(er) (chiefly Scottish)
  • Active, brisk or nimble; lively.
    • He is a remarkably snell young lad.
  • Quick, sudden; sharp.
    • That horny-handed, snell , peremptory little man. --Dr. J. Brown.
  • Quick-witted; witty.
  • Harsh; severe.

    • Etymology 2

    Origin Unknown.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A short line of horsehair, gut, monofilament, etc., by which a fishhook or lure is attached to a longer (and usually heavier) line.
  • * 1979 , Cormac McCarthy, Suttree , Random House, p.194:
    • He tied on new baited snells and recovered the current with the oars.
    Related terms
    * snell knot

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To tie a hook to the end of a fishing line with a snell knot.
    • Can you show me how to snell a hook?

    skell

    English

    Alternative forms

    *skel

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (slang, US, New York) a homeless person, especially one who sleeps in the New York subway.
  • :Did you see those two skells lying in the doorway?
  • (slang, US, New York) (informal police jargon) A male suspicious person or crime suspect, especially a street person such as a drug dealer, pimp or panhandler. (Compare scumbag.) Popularized on the American TV police drama NYPD Blue .

    • Synonyms

    * See also

    Verb

    (skell)
  • (slang) To fall off or fall over
    • She went skelling over on the ice.

    References

    *The City in Slang, New York Life and Popular Speech , by Irving Lewis Allen, 1993.[http://www.stwing.upenn.edu/~sepinwal/faq.html
  • skel]
    • *Dictionary of American Regional English , by Joan Houston Hall, 2002[http://polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/dare/DYSADARE.html]