snap

verb (snaps, snapping, snapped)

1》 break with a sharp cracking sound.

2》 (of an animal) make a sudden audible bite.

    ↘(snap something up) quickly secure something that is in short supply.

3》 open or close with a brisk movement or sharp sound.

4》 suddenly lose one's self-control.

    ↘say something quickly and irritably.

5》 (snap out of) informal get out of (a bad mood) by a sudden effort.

6》 take a snapshot of.

7》 American Football put (the ball) into play by a quick backward movement.

noun

1》 an act or sound of snapping.

2》 (usu. cold snap) a brief period of cold weather.

3》 vigour; liveliness.

4》 a snapshot.

5》 Brit. a card game in which players compete to call ‘snap’ as soon as two cards of the same type are exposed.

6》 a crisp, brittle biscuit.

7》 N. Amer. informal an easy task.

8》 N. Amer. a press stud.

adjective done or taken on the spur of the moment: a snap decision.

Phrases

in a snap informal, chiefly N. Amer. in a moment.

Derivatives

snappable adjective

snapping adjective

snappingly adverb

Origin

C15: prob. from MDu. or Mid. Low Ger. snappen 'seize'; partly imitative.