Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A breathing apparatus for swimmers and surface divers that allows swimming or continuous use of a face mask without lifting the head to breathe, consisting of a tube that curves out of the mouth and extends above the surface of the water.
  • noun A retractable vertical tube in a diesel-engine submarine that contains air-intake and exhaust pipes for the engines and for ventilation, permitting extended periods of submergence at periscope depth.
  • intransitive verb To swim or dive under water with a snorkel and often with a face mask and fins.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A hollow tube, held in the mouth, used by swimmers for breathing underwater.
  • noun A retractable tube fitted in diesel-engine submarines to allow sufficient ventilation that the engines may be used at periscope depth.
  • verb To use a snorkel.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun air passage provided by a retractable device containing intake and exhaust pipes; permits a submarine to stay submerged for extended periods of time
  • verb dive with a snorkel
  • noun breathing device consisting of a bent tube fitting into a swimmer's mouth and extending above the surface; allows swimmer to breathe while face down in the water

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[German Schnorchel, from dialectal, nose (from its resemblance in shape to a nose).]

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Examples

  • For the intake you will need to construct a snorkel from the airbox intake tube to the 2-inch coupling that you installed into the front plastic.

    Workshop: Snorkel Installation Cassandra 2009

  • The scuba mask has to be made of tempered glass and has to fit my face, the fins have to be scuba fins (sturdier, broader from what I understand) and the snorkel is nothing special, but theyjust want you to use your own.

    SCUBA! « Biodork 2010

  • Kauai brings out the languid traveller in me, and the idea of snorkel boats and helicopters never overcame the wonderful lethargy of beachcombing, strolling and hammock inspection that mark many of my trips to the island.

    canada.com Top Stories 2010

  • In order to move faster than a few knots, such a sub must come to the surface: though batteries can be recharged moving a little faster at periscope depth by the use of a "snorkel" or "snort" air-intake mast to run the diesels underwater.

    The Register 2010

  • Postal maintenance worker Dan Wood works to remove a "snorkel" on a mail drop box.

    Home 2009

  • This is very different from diesel-electric submarines, which must come up periodically for air or "snorkel" near the surface to fuel their engines.

    Defense Industry Daily 2009

  • This is very different from diesel-electric submarines, which must come up periodically for air or "snorkel" near the surface to fuel their engines.

    Defense Industry Daily 2009

  • They include a e SSRq70 Mustang, a vintage Chevelle, a 1972 Road Runner with a 440-cubic-inch engine and "snorkel" ram air intake.

    news | OS | http://www.ocala.com 2008

  • They include a e SSRq70 Mustang, a vintage Chevelle, a 1972 Road Runner with a 440-cubic-inch engine and "snorkel" ram air intake.

    news | OS | http://www.ocala.com 2008

  • "Lieutenant Hansen knows that a diesel engine is never, never lit up when a submarine is submerged -- unless with a snorkel, which is useless under ice -- for a diesel not only uses air straight from the engineroom atmosphere, it gulps it down in great draughts and would soon remove all the air in the ship.

    Ice Station Zebra MacLean, Alistair, 1922-1987 1963

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