snoop 的音标为英 /snuːp/、美 /snuːp/,核心含义是“未经允许探听他人隐私”,可作动词或名词,带有贬义色彩。
动词(vi.)
表示“窥探、打探隐私”,强调秘密调查他人不愿公开的事务。例如:She accused him of snooping through her diary.(她指责他偷看她的日记)。
常见搭配 snoop around(四处窥探)和 snoop on sb(监视某人)。例如:The boss was snooping around my desk while I was out.(我外出时老板在我桌前窥探)。
名词(n.)
指“窥探行为”或“爱打探的人”。例如:I’m not a snoop, but I noticed the letter was open.(我不是爱打探的人,但我注意到信被拆开了)。
snoop around:四处窥探(他人隐私)。例:He was caught snooping around the neighbor’s garden.(他在邻居花园窥探时被抓)。
snoop on:暗中监视。例:The app can prevent others from snooping on your messages.(这款应用可防止他人窥探你的消息)。
snoop through:仔细搜查(物品以获取秘密)。例:She snooped through his phone for evidence.(她翻查他的手机找证据)。
I don’t mean to snoop, but is there something wrong between you two?(我无意打探,但你们之间是不是出问题了?)
The detective snooped around the suspect’s house for clues.(侦探在嫌疑人住所周围窥探线索)。
My little sister is such a snoop—she always reads my emails.(我妹妹太爱打探了,总偷看我的邮件)。
The software alerts you if someone tries to snoop on your computer.(若有人试图窥探你的电脑,这款软件会发出警报)。
She accused her roommate of snooping through her closet.(她指责室友翻她的衣柜)。
The journalist was criticized for snooping into the celebrity’s private life.(这位记者因打探名人隐私而受批评)。
Don’t snoop around in my room without permission.(未经允许别在我房间乱翻)。
He’s a professional snoop who works for a private investigation firm.(他是私家侦探公司的职业探子)。
The new policy prohibits employers from snooping on employees’ social media.(新政策禁止雇主监视员工的社交媒体)。
I found my cat snooping around the kitchen, probably looking for food.(我发现猫在厨房窥探,可能在找吃的)。
非正式且贬义:多用于描述不礼貌的行为,如偷看日记、监听对话等。
注意区分:与“investigate”(正式调查)不同,snoop 强调“未经授权的秘密行为”。
无论是指责他人窥探隐私,还是描述暗中调查的动作,snoop 都精准传达了“越界探密”的含义。下次发现有人偷看你的手机,不妨说:“Stop snooping! That’s my private stuff.”(别窥探了!那是我的私人物品。)