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SheltieBites Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Sneak (In)

http://books.google.com/books?id=SQV14ZbLeaQC&pg=PA247&dq=%22snuck+in+a+bite%22&hl=en&ei=QncIT9WxOqiPigKx1Lm2CQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-thumbnail&resnum=1&ved=0CDIQ6wEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22snuck%20in%20a%20bite%22&f=false
"She snuck in a bite here and there while telling everyone about Olivia's bus accident, resulting in Jessi needing to rely on God for her strength."

http://books.google.com/books?id=uPaDQaRg_p4C&pg=PA242&dq=%22snuck+a+bite%22&hl=en&ei=fHcIT9Ntha2IAoX64ZMJ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-thumbnail&resnum=4&ved=0CEQQ6wEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22snuck%20a%20bite%22&f=false
"Walker tapped Jesse's hand with a wooden spoon as she snuck a bite of food off the counter."

Is "sneak IN a bite" more subtle than "sneak a bite"?
  

Top answer

The meanings are quite different in your two examples, although the context is required to make the difference clear. Jesse/i is stealing something in the second example. Or at least she's doing something which is forbidden.

— Avangi

  • The meanings are quite different in your two examples, although the context is required to make the difference clear.
  • Jesse/i is stealing something in the second example.
  • Or at least she's doing something which is forbidden.
  • " It's her own business.
  • The implication is simply that she's doing two things at the same time.
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3 Answers
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The meanings are quite different in your two examples, although the context is required to make the difference clear.
Jesse/i is stealing something in the second example. Or at least she's doing something which is forbidden.

In the first example, she's doing nothing "wrong." It's her own business. The implication is simply that she's doing two things at the same time.

To s
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"He likes to sneak a sip of beer during work hours."
"He likes to sneak in a sip of beer during work hours."
"He likes to sneak a bite of food during work hours."
"He likes to sneak in a bite of food during work hours."

How should I interprate these?
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SheltieBitesHow should I interprate these?
Check spelling.

To my ear, the ones with "in" do not imply that there's anything wrong in doing this.

The ones without "in" suggest that some kind of rule is being broken.

This distinction is not absolute.
But if your position is that it's against the
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