English Dictionary

Definition of “snap”

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snap (snæpPronunciation for snap) 

Definitions

verb

Word forms: snaps, snapping, snapped
  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. intr, 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. See snap one's fingers at
  14. See snap out of it

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. British dialect food, esp a packed lunch taken to work
  13. British a card game in which the word 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

exclamation

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

See also

snap up

Alternative Forms

ˈsnapless adjective ˈsnappable adjective

Word Origin

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

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= break, split, crack, separate, fracture, give way, come apart,
= pop, click, crackle,
= speak sharply bark, lash out at flash, retort, snarl, growl, fly off the handle at jump down (someone's) throat
= lose your temper crack, lose it, freak, crack up, freak out, fly off the handle, lose your cool blow your top
= bite at bite, nip,
= photograph, capture on film take a photograph of get a photograph of
= crack, pop, crash, report, burst, explosion, clap,
= pop, crack, smack, whack,
= photograph, photo, picture, shot, print, slide, snapshot,
= bite, grab, nip,
= spell, period, interval, run, stretch, patch,
= liveliness, go, energy, pep, zip, vigour, welly, get-up-and-go, pizzazz or pizazz
= instant, immediate, hurried, sudden, quick, abrupt, spur-of-the-moment, unpremeditated,

Translations

  • British English: snap Pronunciation for snap If something snaps or if you snap it, it breaks suddenly, usually with a sharp cracking noise.He shifted his weight and a twig snapped.snæp VERB He shifted his weight and a twig snapped.
  • Spanish: partir Pronunciation for partir v
  • French: casser net Pronunciation for casser net v
  • German: zerspringen Pronunciation for zerspringen v
  • Chinese: 啪地折断Pronunciation for 啪地折断 vt
  • Arabic: يَقْصِفُPronunciation for يَقْصِفُ vt
  • Portuguese: estalarPronunciation for estalar vt
  • Russian: ломатьPronunciation for ломать vt
  • Croatian: puknutiPronunciation for puknuti v
  • Czech: lusknout prstyPronunciation for lusknout prsty vt louskat prsty
  • Danish: knækkePronunciation for knække v
  • Dutch: weggrissenPronunciation for weggrissen vt
  • Finnish: napsauttaaPronunciation for napsauttaa v
  • Greek: κροταλίζωPronunciation for κροταλίζω v
  • Italian: spezzarePronunciation for spezzare v
  • Japanese: ポキッと折るPronunciation for ポキッと折る v
  • Korean: (...을) 딱 부러트리다Pronunciation for (...을) 딱 부러트리다 vt
  • Norwegian: kneppePronunciation for kneppe v
  • Polish: pstryknąćPronunciation for pstryknąć vt pstrykać
  • Brazilian Portuguese: estalarPronunciation for estalar vt
  • European Spanish: partir Pronunciation for partir v
  • Swedish: bryta avPronunciation for bryta av vt
  • Thai: ขาดหรือแตกอย่างฉับพลันPronunciation for ขาดหรือแตกอย่างฉับพลัน vt
  • Turkish: kopmakPronunciation for kopmak vt
  • Vietnamese: đớpPronunciation for đớp v

Usage examples

  • I imagined the police questioning people and how the two women would snap their fingers.
    Stuart Harrison, BETTER THAN THIS (2002)
  • David Tomlinson reports The stoat's change of coat is temperature dependent, but the cold snap may not be enough to effect a change.
    Country Life (2004)
  • Or do you snap at the supervisor who comes to you with a simple question?
    Globe and Mail (2003)
  • Criticised for failing to cope with the cold snap of January 2003, the agency today produced its new weapon in the fight against the freeze.
    Liverpool Daily Post and Echo (2004)
  • We're going to...' A small sound made her snap her head around, listening.
    Alma Alexander, THE SECRETS OF JIN-SHEI (2004)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'S'

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