# snail

/ˈsneɪɫ/ (US) · /snˈeɪl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/snail
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. the animal

noun · CEFR A2

a small, soft animal with a round shell that moves very slowly.

For teachers: a gastropod mollusc with a coiled shell into which it can retract its body.

- After the rain, dozens of snails appeared on the garden path.
- The biologist noted that the snail leaves a trail of mucus to reduce friction as it traverses rough surfaces.

### 2. a slow person

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

someone who moves or works very slowly.

For teachers: a person who moves, acts, or works with excessive slowness.

- Hurry up, you snail, or we will miss the start of the movie.
- The manager grew frustrated with the new recruit, calling him a snail because he took twice as long as others to complete the filing.

### 3. mechanical part

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a flat, spiral-shaped piece of metal used in machines like clocks.

For teachers: a spiral cam or flat metal piece with a curved outline used to provide specific motion to other mechanical parts.

- The clockmaker carefully adjusted the snail to ensure the chime sounded at the right time.
- In horology, the snail is a critical component of the striking mechanism, determining the number of times the hammer hits the bell.

### 4. to move slowly

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to move at a very slow pace.

For teachers: to progress or travel at an exceptionally slow speed.

- Traffic was snailing along the highway due to the heavy snow.
- The morning commute was frustrating as the bus snailed through the city centre during the peak of the transit strike.

## Examples

- A small snail is crawling across the garden path.
- After the heavy rain, dozens of snails appeared on the damp leaves in the backyard.
- The biologist observed how the snail retracted into its calcified shell at the first sign of a predatory threat, demonstrating a classic defensive mechanism.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.