snap

¹

[ snap ]

verb (used without object)

, snapped, snap·ping.

1. to make a sudden, sharp, distinct sound; crack, as a whip; crackle.
2. to click, as a mechanism or the jaws or teeth coming together.
3. to move, strike, shut, catch, etc., with a sharp sound, as a door, lid, or lock.
4. to break suddenly, especially with a sharp, cracking sound, as something slender and brittle:

   The branch snapped.

5. to act or move with quick or abrupt motions of the body:

   to snap to attention.

6. to take a photograph, especially without formal posing of the subject.
7. to make a quick or sudden bite or grab (often followed by at ).
8. to utter a quick, sharp sentence or speech, especially a command, reproof, retort, etc. (often followed by at ).
9. to be radiant; sparkle; flash, as the eyes.

verb (used with object)

, snapped, snap·ping.

1. to seize with or take, buy, or obtain as with a quick bite or grab (followed by up or off ):

   The bargains were snapped up.

2. to secure, judge, vote, etc., hastily:

   They snapped the bill through Congress.

3. to cause to make a sudden, sharp sound:

   to snap one's fingers.

4. to crack (a whip).
5. to bring, strike, shut, open, operate, etc., with a sharp sound or movement:

   to snap a lid down.

6. to address or interrupt (a person) quickly and sharply.
7. to say or utter (words, a command, a retort, etc.) in a quick, sharp manner:

   to snap complaints.

8. to break suddenly, especially with a cracking sound:

   to snap a stick in half.

9. to take a photograph of, especially quickly.
10. Digital Technology. to move (an icon, line, window, or other displayed item) instantly and automatically into alignment with a grid or into a predetermined position, as to a corner or edge of the screen.
11. Digital Technology. to use a smartphone or other digital device to scan (a QR code or other source) in order to read the encoded text or URL and to browse the hyperlinked website or web page.
12. Building Trades. to transfer (a line) to a surface by means of a chalk line.
13. Football. to put (the ball) into play by tossing it back to the quarterback or other member of the offensive backfield, especially from between the legs when bent over double and facing the line of scrimmage; center.
14. Hunting. to fire (a shot) quickly, especially without raising the gun to aim from the eye.

noun

1. a quick, sudden action or movement, as the flick of a whip or the breaking of a twig.
2. a short, sharp sound, as that caused by breaking a twig or closing a latch.
3. a catch or fastener that closes by pressure and clicks together.
4. Informal. briskness, vigor, or energy:

   That song has a lot of snap.

5. a quick, sharp speech or manner of speaking:

   He uttered his commands with a snap.

6. a quick or sudden bite or grab, as at something:

   The fish ate with little snaps.

7. something obtained by or as by biting or grabbing:

   a snap of food.

8. a brittle cookie.
9. a short spell or period, as of cold weather:

   an unexpected cold snap.

10. snapshot ( def 1 ).
11. Informal. an easy, profitable, or agreeable position, piece of work, or the like:

    This job is a snap.

12. Football. the act or an instance of snapping the ball.
13. snap bean ( def ).
14. Informal. snapdragon ( def 1 ).
15. British. a packed lunch, as that carried by a worker or traveler.

adjective

1. fastening or closing with a click or snap, as a device fitted with a spring catch:

   a snap lock.

2. made, done, taken, etc., suddenly, offhand, or without warning: a snap election called years ahead of schedule.

   a snap judgment;

   a snap election called years ahead of schedule.

3. easy or simple.

adverb

1. in a brisk, sudden manner.

interjection

1. (an exclamation of surprise, wonder, pleasure, regret, disappointment, etc.):

   Oh snap! I forgot we had a test today!

verb phrase

1. 1. to come to attention:

      The troops snapped to when the colonel walked in.

   2. to shape up:

      If you don't snap to and study, you'll flunk the course.

SNAP

²

[ snap ]

noun

1. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: a federal program for low-income Americans that provides them with electronically deposited benefits to pay for food, as at grocery stores or markets.

snap

/ snæp /

verb

1. to break or cause to break suddenly, esp with a sharp sound
2. to make or cause to make a sudden sharp cracking sound
3. intr to give way or collapse suddenly, esp from strain
4. to move, close, etc, or cause to move, close, etc, with a sudden sharp sound
5. to move or cause to move in a sudden or abrupt way
6. intr; often foll by at or up to seize something suddenly or quickly
7. whenintr, often foll by at to bite at (something) bringing the jaws rapidly together
8. to speak (words) sharply or abruptly
9. intr (of eyes) to flash or sparkle
10. to take a snapshot of (something)
11. intr hunting to fire a quick shot without taking deliberate aim
12. tr American football to put (the ball) into play by sending it back from the line of scrimmage to a teammate
13. snap one's fingers at informal.
    1. to dismiss with contempt
    2. to defy
14. snap out of it informal.
    to recover quickly, esp from depression, anger, or illness

noun

1. the act of breaking suddenly or the sound produced by a sudden breakage
2. a sudden sharp sound, esp of bursting, popping, or cracking
3. a catch, clasp, or fastener that operates with a snapping sound
4. a sudden grab or bite
5. the sudden release of something such as elastic thread
6. a brisk movement of the thumb against one or more fingers
7. a thin crisp biscuit

   ginger snaps

8. informal.
   See snapshot
9. informal.
   vigour, liveliness, or energy
10. informal.
    a task or job that is easy or profitable to do
11. a short spell or period, esp of cold weather
12. dialect.
    food, esp a packed lunch taken to work
13. a card game in which the word snap is called when two cards of equal value are turned up on the separate piles dealt by each player
14. American football the start of each play when the centre passes the ball back from the line of scrimmage to a teammate
15. modifier done on the spur of the moment, without consideration or warning

    a snap decision

16. modifier closed or fastened with a snap

adverb

1. with a snap

interjection

1. 1. cards the word called while playing snap
   2. an exclamation used to draw attention to the similarity of two things

Derived Forms

• ˈsnapless, adjective
• ˈsnappable, adjective

Other Words From

• snap·less adjective
• snap·pa·ble adjective
• snap·ping·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of snap¹

First recorded in 1485–95; from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German snappen “to bite, seize”

Origin of snap²

First recorded in 2005–10

Word History and Origins

Origin of snap¹

C15: from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch snappen to seize; related to Old Norse snapa to snuffle

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. not give / care a snap of one's fingers for, to regard with indifference; treat lightly. Also not givecare a snap.
2. snap out of, to free oneself from; recover from:

   It took him a long time to snap out of his grief.

3. snap one's fingers at. finger ( def 25 ).
4. snap / bite someone's head off. bite ( def 33 ).

Example Sentences

“Even if we weren't dealing with a hostile administration, someone couldn't snap their fingers and restore all the access we have lost over the past two years,” Dingus said.

From Salon

The Rams have yet to play a snap with a projected line that includes Alaric Jackson at left tackle, Avila at left guard, Jonah Jackson at center, Kevin Dotson at right guard and Havenstein at right tackle.

From Los Angeles Times

Sri Lanka’s 17.1 million voters head to the polls again on Thursday to vote in snap parliamentary elections, barely seven weeks after choosing a new president.

From BBC

The snap judgment among legal experts was that a federal judge’s dismissal on Nov. 7 of a copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI, the leader in advanced chatbots, will short-circuit an ever-growing effort by artists and writers to keep AI firms from stealing their content.

From Los Angeles Times

Quick, snap a picture — the tides are rising.

From Los Angeles Times