Also 5–7 snappe, 7 (9) snapp. [Related to SNAP v. Cf. Du. snap, LG. snap, snapp, late MHG. snap (G. schnapp masc.; also schnappe fem.) in the same or related senses.]
I. 1. A quick or sudden closing of the jaws or teeth in biting, or of scissors in cutting; a bite or cut made in this way. Also fig. and in fig. context.
1495. in Blackw. Mag., April (1908), 506/1. 1 bay mare, a snappe in the left ear and in the right ear a ferthyng.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 170. Whiche cutteth a man in sunder … at one snappe with his teethe.
1592. Greene, Upst. Courtier, Wks. XI. 247. At euery word a snap with your sissors.
1634. Canne, Necess. Separ. (1849), 20. Craving to be put into one of the priests’ offices, that he may have a snap at a crust of bread.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (Bohn), 299. He took the scissors, and at one snap set them at liberty again.
1816. Scott, Antiq., iii. He had the scent of a slow-hound … and the snap of a bull-dog.
1899. F. V. Kirby, Sport E. C. Africa, iv. 50–1. The huge jaws opened once and shut with a vicious snap.
2. slang. A share (cf. SNACK sb.2 3); something worth securing or getting hold of; an odd chance; a good place or job.
1561. Awdelay, Frat. Vacab. (1869), 4. An Vpright man … may cal them to accompt, & commaund a share or snap vnto him selfe, of al that they haue gained by their trade in one moneth.
a. 1800. Pegge, Suppl. Grose s.v., To go snaps is to go halves in anything.
1864. Slang Dict., Snapps, share, portion; any articles or circumstances out of which money may be made; ‘looking out for SNAPPS,’ waiting for windfalls, or odd jobs.
1893. Dispatch (Columbus), 20 Feb. ‘A public office is a public trust.’ The clerks regard it rather as a public ‘snap.’
1897. Flandrau, Harvard Episodes, 259. He’s on the lookout for snaps.
b. Theat. A short engagement.
a. 1891. Freund, Music & Drama, XIV. xvi. 3 (Cent.). Actors and actresses who have just come in from ‘summer snaps’ to prepare for the work of the coming season.
3. A small piece or portion; a scrap, fragment or morsel: a. In emphatic use, as not a snap, every snap. Now dial.
1610. Beaum. & Fl., Scornf. Lady, IV. i. Come, come, you would know it;… but not a snap, never long for’t, not a snap dear Ladie.
1690. W. Walker, Idiomat. Anglo-Lat., 423. They leave not a snap i’ th’ dish; i. e. eat all up; every bit and snap.
1837. Wilson’s Tales Borders, III. 257. The puir hungry wratches will eat it up, every snap, afore morning.
1875. Dickinson, Cumbriana, 10. Then he choppt up a drinkin’ glass an’ eat it ivery snap.
b. In general use. ? Obs. (freq. in 17th cent.).
1626. B. Jonson, Staple of N., I. v. Hee’s a nimble Fellow! And alike skil’d in euery liberall Science, As hauing certaine snaps of all.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., V. xiv. 411. He may get some almes of learning, here a snap, there a piece of knowledge, but nothing to purpose.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 260. Our Burses being but Snaps of Buildings to these famous Buzzars.
4. A slight or hasty meal or mouthful; a snack. Now dial. or spec. (cf. quot. 1883).
Not always clearly distinguishable from prec.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., III. xii. § 5. 181. But it is one thing to laugh at them in transitu, a snap and away, and another to make a set meal in jeering them. Ibid. (1655), Ch. Hist. XI. ii. 59. Henry Burton … rather took a snap then made a meal in any University.
1668. R. Steele, Husbandman’s Calling, x. (1672), 251. The Egyptian Dogs do taste the waters of Nilus for fear of the Crocodiles, a snap and away.
1700. Motteux, Quix. (1733), II. 55. The Curate’s Provision … was but a Snap among so many, for they were all very hungry.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xxx. First taste a snap of right Hollands.
1858. Geo. Eliot, Scenes Clerical Life, Janet’s Repentance, i. Two hearty meals that might have been mistaken for dinners, if he had not declared them to be ‘snaps.’
1883. Gresley, Gloss. Coal-mining, 229. Snap.… See Bait [food taken by a collier during his shift].
5. A sudden snatch or catch at something; a quick movement or effort. † To lie at (or upon the) snap, to lie in wait. † By snaps, fitfully, spasmodically.
1631. T. Powell, Tom of All Trades, 42. A Sea Soldier may now and than chaunce to haue a snapp at a bootie.
1648. Hexham, II. Een Luymer, ofte Loerer, one that Lies upon the Snap, or Leers what one saith.
c. 1660. Songs & Poems Costume (Percy Soc.), 152. With sugared words they lye at snap, But I’le be sure to watch ’um.
1692. L’Estrange, Josephus (1733), 860. Now Apollonius does not carry on his Malice … in a continu’d set Discourse, but now and then by Snaps as the Humour takes him.
1755. Johnson, Snap,… a catch; a theft.
1823. E. Moor, Suffolk Words, Snap,… any sharp, quick, short motion.
1882. Jamieson’s Sc. Dict., Snap, a sudden … grip, or seizure of any kind.
b. Angling. One or other of different methods of fishing for pike (see quots.).
1651. T. Barker, Art of Angling (1820), 23. There is a way to take a Pike, which is called the taking of a Pike by snap, for which angling you must have a pretty strong rod. Ibid., 28. That other fine trick, Which our Artists call Snap, with a Goose or a Duck.
1787. Best, Angling (ed. 2), 45. Angling for the pike at the snap is to let him run a little, and then to strike him, the contrary way from whence he runs, with two strong jerks.
1847. T. Brown, Mod. Farriery, 902. At both troll and snap some persons have two or more swivels to their line.
c. In a snap, in a moment, immediately.
So WFris. yn ien snap, G. in einem schnapp, LG. mit ên(em) snapp.
1768. Ross, Helenore, 119. An’ now the fead [= feud] is softn’d … The face o’ things is alter’d in a snap.
1801. Spirit Public Jrnls., IX. 381. I’ll put you to rights in a snap.
d. A card-game, in which the call of ‘snap’ under certain conditions gives to one player the right to take cards from another.
1903. Cassell’s Bk. of In-door Amusem., 125. Snap … may be played either with the ordinary whist cards, or with a special pack manufactured for the purpose. [Description follows.]
6. A curt or sharp speech or manner of speaking; an angry dispute.
1648. Hexham, II. Een Snap, a Snap, or a Taunt.
1745. Mrs. Delany, Life & Corr. (1861), II. 395. The least disapprobation, or snap, from the person I wish to oblige.
1760–2. Goldsm., Cit. W., lxxiv. The moment I ventured to speak I was at once contradicted with a snap.
1859. Habits of Gd. Society, vii. 245. ‘Beg your pardon,’ answered Tibbs, with a sharp snap, which makes the words sound like ‘Don’t be a fool!’
1897. W. Beatty, Secretar, 254. It was while I was watching this game … that we had a bit snap with one another.
7. A brief and sudden spell of cold, winter, etc. Orig. U.S.
1740. T. Smith, Jrnl. (1849), 268. We had … two or three snaps of cold weather, else constantly warm. Ibid. (1776), 279. A dismal cold snap of weather.
1885. H. C. McCook, Tenants Old Farm, 114. If there comes a snap of cold.
1899. Daily Telegr., 31 March, 6/5. She felt the effects of the snap of winter last week.
b. A sharp and sudden frost; a short spell of cold weather. Chiefly in cold snap (very common in recent use).
1829. Col. Hawker, Diary (1893), II. 9. A determined ‘black snap,’ water jugs in bedrooms all frozen. Harbour all ice. Ibid. (1830), 14. The tightest snap on record.
1848. Bartlett, Dict. Amer., 316. ‘A cold snap,’ i. e. a period of sudden cold weather. A common expression.
1892. W. Pike, Barren Ground N. Canada, 237. The cold snap continued for several days.
8. Mus. Scotch snap: (see quots. and SCOTCH a. 4).
1789. Burney, Hist. Mus., IV. 272. The Scots snap seems to have been contagious in that School [the Neapolitan] at this time.
1875. Stainer & Barrett, Dict. Mus. Terms, s.v. Scotch, Scotch snap, a peculiarity of the comparatively modern Scotch melodies in which a short note precedes a long one.
9. = SNAP-SHOT sb. 1.
1851. G. H. Kingsley, Sport & Trav. (1900), 526. Before I had recovered my senses sufficiently to take a desperate snap at him.
1860. W. H. Russell, Diary India, I. xxi. 346. Fellows took snaps at us from balconies, from doors on the roofs of houses.
b. = SNAP-SHOT sb. 2.
1894. Amer. Ann. Photogr., 251. The exposures were mostly ‘snaps.’
10. Wrestling. A throw made when the hold of one of the wrestlers on the other is broken.
1868. J. Robinson & S. Gilpin, Wrestling, 57. The stewards were inclined to bring the fall in a ‘snap,’ but the vanquished man very honourably declared himself to be fairly thrown.
11. Alertness, energy, vigor, ‘go.’ Orig. U.S.
1872. Beecher, Lect. Preaching, x. 185. I like to see a man who has got snap in every part of him.
1885. H. M. Newhall, in Harper’s Mag., Jan., 286/1. There are few well-conducted factories which have not ‘snap’ enough to make a single pair of samples at half a day’s notice if necessary.
1894. Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes, 60. A young, pushing man with plenty of snap about him.
b. transf. Of writings, etc.
1885. G. S. Merriam, S. Bowles, II. 375. The vigorous vernacular, the pithy phrase of the Yankee farmer, gave zest and snap to many a paragraph.
1896. Peterson’s Mag., Jan., 111/1. A delightful little tale, full of romance, snap, and brightness.
II. † 12. a. Thieves’ Cant. = CLOYER2 1. Obs.
1592. Greene, Conny Catch., Pref. p. iv. When the Foist, the picke pockets (sir reuerence I meane) is cros-bitten by the Snap, and so smoakt for his purchase. Ibid., Wks. (Grosart), X. 38. He that bringeth him in, a Nip, He that is halfe with him, the Snap.
1611. Middleton & Dekker, Roaring Girl, D.’s Wks. 1873, III. 220. Then there’s a cloyer, or snap, that dogges any new brother in that trade, and snappes, will haue halfe in any booty.
† b. A sharper or swindler; a sly or treacherous fellow. Obs.
Freq. in 17th c. in cunning or subtle snap.
1622. Fletcher, Sp. Curate, II. i. Take heed of a Snap, Sir, ha’s a cozening countenance, I do not like his way.
1653. A. Wilson, Jas. I., 288. Butler being a subtle Snap, wrought so with his Companion, with promises of a share, that he got the possession of it.
1699. R. L’Estrange, Colloq. Erasm. (1711), 206. There were a great many cunning Snaps that had the Plot in the Wind.
c. Applied to persons in somewhat slighting use, but without implication of bad qualities.
1653. Sir G. Wharton, Comets, Wks. (1683), 141. Why do I discourage the poor Snap?
1671. Skinner, Etymol. Ling. Angl., A merry Snap,… alacer, lepidus, agilis.
1676. Wycherley, Pl. Dealer, II. i. Come, lady, pray snap up this young snap at first.
1703. Thoresby, Lett. Ray. Snap, a lad or servant; now mostly used ludicrously.
d. dial. (See quot. and snap-dog s.v. SNAP-.)
a. 1796. Pegge, Derbicisms (E. D. S.), 123. Snap, a mongril greyhound with a short tail, excellent at snapping, or jumping on a hare.
III. 13. † a. (See quot.) Obs.–0
1611. Cotgr., Pelican,… a Snap, or Dog; the toole wherewith Barbers pull out teeth.
b. A pistol. nonce-use.
1775. Sheridan, Rivals, IV. i. For your curst sharps and snaps, I never knew any good come of ’em.
c. A snap-hook.
1839. Salter, in T. C. Hofland, Brit. Angler’s Man., v. 125. This snap-hook is a double hook, or two single hooks, No. 6, tied back to back, on gimp; to bait this snap, use the baiting-needle.
1856. ‘Stonehenge,’ Brit. Rural Sports, I. V. iii. 256. The plain snap is made in several ways, as follows.
d. A device or implement used for rounding the head of a rivet.
1869. Rankine, Machine & Hand-tools, Pl. P 14, The snap, c, has a conical projection at the end, which fits exactly into a corresponding recess in the die.
1890. W. J. Gordon, Foundry, 48. The rivet was inserted from the inside, and held in position by the holder, and the snap outside.
1900. Hasluck, Mod. Eng. Handy-bk., 124. Rivet with a small hammer, and, for appearance sake, finish with a snap.
attrib. 1869. Sir E. J. Reed, Shipbuild., xvii. 329. The snap-point is sometimes formed on snap-headed rivets, and nearly always so in machine riveting.
1874. Thearle, Naval Archit., 127. This snap tool consists of a hollow cup of steel welded to a punch head for striking upon.
1889. Welch, Text Bk. Naval Archit., iv. 75. ‘Snap punch’—a tool provided with a hemispherical hollow at one end.
e. In miscellaneous uses (see quots.).
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2229/1. Snap.… An implement used in making glassware.
1883. Gresley, Gloss. Coal-mining, 229. Snaps.… A haulage clip.
1888. Addy, Sheffield Gloss., Snaps, a horizontal vice.
1888. Nicholson, Coal Trade Gloss., Snap, a small flat pointed pick, used on the screens.
† 14. a. An ear-ring, fastened with a spring-catch. Obs.–1
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), III. 29. A pair of diamond snaps in her ears.
b. A spring-catch, clasp, or fastening, or one closing with a snapping or clicking sound.
c. 1815. Houlston’s Juvenile Tracts, Cork Jacket, 4. She took off her spectacles, and put them carefully into an old fish skin case with a snap to it.
1859. Habits of Gd. Society, iv. 179. Rows of pearls, confined by a diamond snap, are beautiful in every [evening] dress.
1903. F. J. Garrard, Watch Repairing, 156. Bottoms and bezels are sometimes jointed to the case band, and sometimes are loose, being merely snapped tight. These circular snaps, as they are called, are much more dust tight than a joint can be.
IV. 15. A quick, sharp sound or report.
1611. Cotgr., Niquet,… a knicke, clicke, snap with the teeth, or fingers.
1687. Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., II. s.v., It gave such a snap, that it made me startle, cela fit un si grand bruit [etc.].
c. 1710. Celia Fiennes, Diary (1888), 153. Set the Coales together with some fire and it shall give a snap and burn up light.
1767. Franklin, Lett., Wks. 1840, V. 414. In our small experiments, we call this light and sound the electric spark and snap.
1825. Scott, Talism., iv. A spring bolt,… the snap of which resounded through the place.
1856. Kane, Arctic Expl., I. xii. 136. With a crack like the snap of a gigantic whip, the ice opened.
1880. Mrs. Riddell, Myst. Palace Gard., xxx. Edwina shut the book with a snap.
b. In negative phrases denoting complete disregard or indifference.
1859. Farrar, Julian Home, ii. 19. Should you care the snap of a finger for the opinion or the acquaintance of a man [etc.]?
1877. Spurgeon, Serm., XXIII. 60. Never caring a snap of the fingers whether it offended or whether it pleased.
1897. Henty, On the Irrawaddy, 338. I don’t care a snap for the titles.
16. The act of snapping or breaking suddenly; a break or fracture.
1755. Johnson, Snap, the act of breaking with a quick motion.
1828–32. Webster, Snap, a sudden breaking or rupture of any substance.
1891. C. Roberts, Adrift Amer., 73. In the majority of cases the snap is so clean that a green hand would most likely pass it by.
17. Sc. and north. dial. A small, usually round, cake or biscuit of crisp gingerbread; a ginger-snap.
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., xii. She will gie ye a ginge-bread snap for your pains.
1852. Carlyle, in Froude, Life in Lond., II. 110. The main panes round, and about the size of a biggish snap.
1855. [Robinson], Whitby Gloss., Snaps, thin round gingerbread cakes for children.
b. attrib., as snap-machine, -wife, -woman.
1831. R. Shennan, Poems, 42. The auctioneers and snap-wives too, Had staid to try what they could do.
1871. Carlyle, in Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., I. 110. Beggars, ballad-singers, snap-women, &c.
1884. Knight, Dict. Mech., Suppl. 826/1. Snap Machine. A machine for cutting a blanket of dough into snaps.
18. U.S. (See quots.)
1848. Bartlett, Dict. Amer., 316. Snaps. Young kidney-beans in the pod.
1872. De Vere, Americanisms, 410. Such are the beans, known in England as Kidney-beans or French-beans, while here they are called String-beans … or Snaps, and occasionally Snap-beans.
