snap

1 verb

1 BREAK (I, T) if something snaps, or if you snap it, it breaks with a sudden sharp noise: Pablo felt the second blow on his collar bone and heard it snap. | The impact must have snapped the cable. | snap sth off: Patricia snapped a twig off. | snap sth in two/in half etc (=break it into two pieces): The teacher snapped the chalk in two and gave me a piece.

2 MOVE (STH) SUDDENLY (intransitive always + adv/prep, transitive always + adv/prep) to move into a particular position suddenly, making a short sharp noise, or to make something move like this: snap together/back etc: The pieces just snap together like this. | The sails would be flat one minute, then snap and billow out with the wind the next. | snap open/shut: She snapped her briefcase shut.

3 SAY STH ANGRILY (I, T) to say something quickly in an angry or annoyed way: He laughed. “What's so funny?” I snapped.

(+ at): He was jumpy and aggressive, and snapped at Walter for no reason. | snap sb's head off BrE (=say something in a very angry way): I told her I was going to be late and she nearly snapped my head off!

4 ANIMAL (I) if an animal such as a dog snaps, it tries to bite you

(+ at): Boxer was snapping at his ankles.

5 PHOTOGRAPH (T) to take a photograph: wandering around Paris, snapping all the landmarks

6 snap your fingers to make a short, sharp noise by moving one of your fingers quickly against your thumb, for example in order to get someone's attention

7 BECOME ANGRY/ANXIOUS ETC (I) to suddenly stop being able to control your anger, anxiety, or other feelings in a difficult situation: I was handling the stress OK but then suddenly I just snapped.

8 MIND old-fashioned if your mind snaps, you become mentally ill

9 snap to it also snap it up AmE spoken used to tell someone to hurry and do something immediately: Come on, snap to it, get that room cleaned up!

10 snap to attention if soldiers snap to attention, they suddenly stand very straight

—see also: snap­on snap sth on/off phrasal verb (T) to turn a light on or off snap out of sth phrasal verb (transitive not in passive) snap out of it to stop being sad or upset and make yourself feel better: Chantal's been depressed for days. I wish she'd snap out of it. snap sb/sth up phrasal verb (T)

1 to buy something immediately, especially because it is very cheap: If you see one for under $100, you should snap it up.

2 to eagerly take an opportunity to have someone as part of your company, team etc: They needed a good quarterback and would have snapped him up if they'd had a chance.

2 noun

1 SOUND (singular) a sudden loud sound, especially made by something breaking or closing: I shut the book with a snap, and put it away.

2 PHOTOGRAPH (C) informal especially BrE a photograph taken by someone who is not a professional photographer: holiday snaps

3 be a snap AmE informal to be very easy to do: The test was a snap.

4 a snap of your fingers a sudden sound made by quickly moving one of your fingers against your thumb

5 GAME (U) a card game in which players put down one card after another and try to be the first to shout `snap' when there are two cards that are the same

6 CLOTHES FASTENER (C) AmE a small metal fastener on clothes that works by pressing two parts together

—see also: cold snap, —see picture at fastener 3 adjective snap judgment/decision a judgment or decision made quickly and without enough thought or preparation: I hate making snap decisions. 4 interjection

1 BrE spoken used when you see two things that are exactly the same: Hey, snap! I've got a dress just like that!

2 spoken said in the game of snap when two cards that are the same are put down