sniggle

To chortle or chuckle; snicker.

Ay! you see you'll laugh at the bare thought on it — and I'll be bound th' minister, though he's not a laughing man, would ha' sniggled at th' notion of falling in love wi' the child.

To fish for eels by thrusting a baited needle or hook into their dens.

But rampant poaching (the correct term for catching a grown-up eel with bait is to “sniggle”, though elvers are caught with something more like a giant sieve) is now prompting authorities to crack down well in advance of next year’s season.

To catch by this means.

To ensnare.

To steal something of little value.