snaffle

1. 1

   A broad-mouthed, loose-ringed bit (metal in a horse's mouth). It brings pressure to bear on the tongue and the corners of the mouth, and is often used as a training bit.

   • “I shall have to take the mare to-morrow,” said the Tertium Quid, “and she will stand nothing heavier than a snaffle.”
   • For many horses the best bit to use in the field is a plain snaffle, with very large rings, so that the bit cannot be pulled through the horse’s mouth. The bridle should have a cavesson, instead of the usual noseband.
2. 2

   Decorative wear that looks like a snaffle.figuratively

   • Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke.[…]A silver snaffle on a heavy leather watch guard which connected the pockets of his corduroy waistcoat, together with a huge gold stirrup in his Ascot

syn. bradoon

1. 1

   To put a snaffle on, or control with a snaffle.transitive

2. 2

   To quell or suppress.broadlyfigurativelytransitive

   • Julian Joolby, when will you learn to snaffle your violent emotion?
3. 3

   To clutch by the bridle.transitive

4. 4

   To grab or seize; to snap up.informaltransitive

   • “That was my inspiration back in 2005,” he says, snaffling his third roll.
5. 5

   To purloin, or obtain by devious means.informaltransitive

   • […] the Master at Arms, the senior member of the lower deck and chief policeman, was found to be drunk; he must have snaffled some of the crew's rum ration always kept closely guarded in a special locker […]
6. 6

   To talk foolishly.NorfolkUKarchaic

   • In Norfolk, "jaffle" is used in the sense of idle discourse, of an indecent or malicious character; and a prating busybody is said to be "always a snaffling and jafflin about what don't concern him."