snoepen

Forms

snoepen^[1]

Etymology

The origin is not certain.^[1] The EWN takes it as probably a variant with another vowel from Dutch snappen (“to snatch”), in its sense “to grab quickly”, so that ⟨snoepen⟩ would be “to grab eagerly at something tasty”; compare West Flemish ⟨snaperen⟩ “to eat sweets” and versnapering.^[2][3][4] Orel reconstructs it as Proto-Germanic *snōpōjanan, linked with *snappōjanan.^[5]

Related forms are Low German snopen (“to nibble sweets”), East Frisian ⟨snōpen⟩ and Old Norse snópa (“to snap at; to loiter”), with Norwegian ⟨snopa⟩ “to wait idly”.^[2][6][3] De Vries suggests that the Dutch word may have been taken from Low German, since it appears only in the 17th century.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The derivative snoeperij “sweets” comes first, in 1565, in a description of stalls with all kinds of snoeperye en bancket suycker.^[2] The verb follows in Plantijn's dictionary of 1573, meaning “to eat sweets in secret”, and in Kiliaan (1588) as “to eat sweets”.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

From 1612 snoepen also meant to make love secretly or unlawfully: ’s Nachts loopt dat hiete goedt op de kitteljacht uyt snoepen, at night those lusty people go out after loose women.^[2][8] From this sense came snoepreisje, first an adulterous escapade (1613), which in the 18th century became a pleasure trip;^[2][9] Stoett explains snoepen there as “to take secretly”, like snappen in Hooft's snapreisje.^[2][9] The noun snoep “sweets” is recorded from 1659 in ten snoep.^[2] As a noun for titbits it is found from 1798.^[2] The sense “to eat sweets one has no right to, secretly” is quoted from 1840, and the transitive “to eat as a titbit” from 1593.^[8]

The word was borrowed into American English as snoop, recorded from 1826 as “to go around prying” and also “to sneak for food”.^[10][6][11] Papiamentu has snup, older snoep.^[11][1]

Timeline

• 1573 – Snoepen “to eat sweets in secret” appears in Plantijn's dictionary.^[2][7]
• 1588 – Kiliaan gives the sense “to eat sweets”.^[2]
• 1593 – The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal's first quotation, in which Mars would snoepen sweet human flesh.^[8][12]
• 1612 – The sense “to make love secretly” is recorded.^[2][12]
• 1613 – Snoepreisje is first recorded.^[2]
• 1826 – English snoop is first recorded.^[10]

Meanings

Verb

1. To eat sweets or other tasty things, as a treat.^[13][1][14]
2. (intransitive) To snack, to eat between meals.^[1][8]
3. (with van) To savour or enjoy something; to taste or try it for the pleasure of it.^[1][14]

Word family

• snoepreisje
• afsnoepen
• snoep
• snoeper
• versnoepen
• snoepgoed
• snoepkraam
• snoepwinkel
• snoepzucht

Related words

• snappen
• versnapering
• English snoop

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Philippa, Marlies; Debrabandere, Frans; Quak, Arend; Schoonheim, Tanneke; Sijs, Nicoline van der (2003–2009), Etymologisch woordenboek van het Nederlands, 4 vols., Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press; online via etymologiebank.nl
3. ^ a b Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
4. ^ Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum, p. 351
5. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 358
6. ^ a b c Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
8. ^ a b c d Vries, Matthias de; Winkel, L. A. te, et al. (1882–1998), Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, 29 vols., 's-Gravenhage / Leiden: Nijhoff / Sijthoff / SDU; supplement 2001; gtb.ivdnt.org
9. ^ a b Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
10. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
11. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
12. ^ a b Veen, P. A. F. van; Sijs, Nicoline van der (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden, 2nd ed., Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie
13. ^ Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
14. ^ a b WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org