Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
SNARL
I. verb
Etymology: Middle English, to trap, entangle, probably frequentative of snaren to snare
Date: 14th century
transitive verb to cause to become knotted and intertwined ; tangle , to make excessively complicated, intransitive verb to become snarled, snarler noun
II. noun
Etymology: Middle English snarle snare, noose, probably from snarlen, verb
Date: 1609
a tangle especially of hairs or thread ; knot , a tangled situation , snarly adjective
III. verb
Etymology: frequentative of obsolete English snar to growl; akin to Middle Low German snorren to drone, rattle
Date: 1589
intransitive verb to growl with a snapping, gnashing, or display of teeth, to give vent to anger in surly language, transitive verb to utter or express with a snarl or by snarling, snarler noun
IV. noun
Date: 1613
a surly angry growl, snarly adjective