snooper

/ˈsnuː.pər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsnuː.pɚ/ (ame, ipa) · /-pə(r)/ (ame, mw)

snooper — noun

  • snoopersingular
  • snoopersplural

1. a person who secretly tries to learn about other people's private matters by wat

1.名詞B2
釋義

a person who secretly tries to learn about other people's private matters by watching them, reading their messages, or listening to their conversations without their knowledge

例句

The elderly neighbour was a snooper who watched people from behind her curtains.

A snooper had opened Lakshmi's mail and read her personal letters before she noticed.

同義詞
  • busybody

    more disapproving, with a focus on someone who meddles in others' affairs rather than just observing

  • peeping Tom

    specifically someone who watches others secretly, often for sexual reasons; narrower and more disturbing

  • snoop

    informal noun form of the same word, interchangeable in most contexts

  • meddler

    emphasises interfering or getting involved, not just watching from the sidelines

文法句型

usually singular when referring to a specific person

用法筆記

Frequently used to express disapproval; a snooper is typically seen as an annoying or untrustworthy person rather than a professional or criminal intruder.

常見錯誤

❌A snooper is someone who works for the government collecting secrets.
✅A snooper is someone who pries into others' private affairs, not a professional spy.
💡A spy may work for a government or organisation, while a snooper is usually an ordinary person acting out of personal curiosity.

2. a branded vehicle with an extendable arm or platform that allows workers to reac

2.名詞C1
釋義

a branded vehicle with an extendable arm or platform that allows workers to reach and inspect the underside of bridges for maintenance or repair work

例句

The city bought a snooper to inspect the old railway bridge after the earthquake.

Engineers used a snooper to examine cracks under the highway bridge at night.

collocation: use a snooper to examine/inspect

同義詞

文法句型

often used with the definite article 'the'

用法筆記

Originally a trademarked brand name for a specific bridge-inspection vehicle, but often used generically for any similar piece of equipment in bridge maintenance. Sense 2 is restricted to civil-engineering contexts and is very unlikely to appear in everyday conversation.

常見錯誤

❌They drove a snooper to the supermarket.
✅The crew drove a snooper to the bridge for the inspection.
💡Snooper in this sense is only used for bridge maintenance vehicles, not for any vehicle with an extending part.