Informed on someone to an authority; revealed someone's wrongdoing, typically in a betraying manner. Also means to steal something small.
Origin uncertain, possibly from Middle English snitch meaning 'to strike, knock' or related to 'snatch'. The informant sense developed in 19th-century criminal slang, while the theft meaning may be older.
The word 'snitch' carries a fascinating moral complexity - it describes the same action that can be viewed as either civic duty or betrayal, depending on context and community. In criminal subcultures, it's among the worst accusations possible, while in broader society, reporting wrongdoing is often seen as responsible behavior, showing how language reflects conflicting social values.
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