Chiefly (and now only) north. and Sc. Forms: 4–5 snaper (-ere, 5 -ir, 6 -yr), 5 snap(p)re, 6 snappar (Sc. -ir), 5– snapper. [app. a frequentative from a stem *snap, corresponding to older and dial. G. schnappen to stumble, to limp, related to MHG. snaben, MLG. snaven, whence MDa. snave, MSw. snava (Sw. snafva), Norw. snaava, to stumble, Icel. snáfa to sneak, slink.]
1. intr. To stumble or trip. † Also, to fall through stumbling.
13[?]. Metr. Hom. (MS. Ashm. 42), fol. 70 b. Full radde he was to snapir rathe, To drowne him & his childir bathe.
a. 1352. Minot, Poems (Hall), x. 16. Wight men of þe west neghed þam nerr, And gert þam snaper in þe snare.
c. 1400. 26 Pol. Poems, iv. 90. Many can stomble at a stre; Þey nyl not snapere at a style.
c. 1425. Thomas of Erceld., 381. Stedes shall snapre throwght tresoun.
1530. Palsgr., 723/2. My horse dyd nat stumble, he dyd but snapper a lytell.
1597. Skene, De Verb. Sign., s.v. Cathorius, Quhen ane horse … snappers or fallis with his maister.
1607. Markham, Caval., II. 134. Or els setting downe his feete vncertainly [he] doth often stumble and snapper.
1650. Reg. Privy Counc. Scot., VIII. 233. He snappered and lighted upon ane cart will not … be so apt to snapper and stumble.
1816. Scott, Bl. Dwarf, x. Wouldst thou snapper now and break my neck?
1871. W. Alexander, J. Gibb (1877), 226. Only Samie’s shaltie snappert.
Prov. 1641. Fergusson, Scot. Prov., No. 105. A horse may snapper on foure feet.
1721. Kelly, Prov., 26. A Horse with four Feet may snapper, by a time.
2. fig. or transf. To stumble or make a slip in action or conduct; to fall into error.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., II. 367. Mannis affecciouns … shulde stonde stalworþly, lest þe soule snaperide aftir. Ibid. (1388), Jer. xviii. 15. My puple hath forȝete me … and snaperiden in her weies.
a. 1500. in Ratis Raving, 23. The foly of the ful garis hyme snapyr.
a. 1529. Skelton, Replyc., Wks. 1843, I. 217. Count ye your selfe good clerkes, and snapper in suche werkes?
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 227. He appeiret to snapper, anent the celebratione of the Pasche day…, at quilke stane snappired lykwyse Bischope Aidane.
1731. Reasons for Presbyterians dissenting, 101. He hath miserably snapper’d upon Hazael for a pattern.
1794. Burns, ‘Contented wi’ little,’ iv. Blind Chance, let her snapper and stoyte on her way.
Hence Snappering ppl. a.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.), II. 319. To bring … tua bald snapring horsses [L. summæ pernicitatis equos] for the flicht.
