1. To grab, esp. to grab a large document or file for the purpose of
using it with or without the author's permission. See also {BLT}.
2. [in the Unix community] To fetch a file or set of files across a
network. See also {blast}. This term was mainstream in the late
1960s, meaning `to eat piggishly'. It may still have this connotation
in context. "He's in the snarfing phase of hacking -- FTPing megs of
stuff a day."
3. To acquire, with little concern for legal forms or politesse (but
not quite by stealing). "They were giving away samples, so I snarfed
a bunch of them."
4. Syn. for {slurp}. "This program starts by snarfing the entire
database into core, then...."
5. [GEnie] To spray food or {programming fluid}s due to laughing at
the wrong moment. "I was drinking coffee, and when I read your post I
snarfed all over my desk." "If I keep reading this topic, I think
I'll have to snarf-proof my computer with a keyboard {condom}." [This
sense appears to be widespread among mundane teenagers --ESR] The
sound of snarfing is {splork!}.
[glossary]
[Reference(s) to this entry by made by: {beam}{blast}{blit}{C&C}{C|N>K}{gobble}{leech}{PD}{snarf down}{software rot}{splork!}]