Library / English Dictionary |
SNAP
Pronunciation (US): | (GB): |
Irregular inflected forms: snapped , snapping
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
(American football) putting the ball in play by passing it (between the legs) to a back
Example:
the quarterback fumbled the snap
Synonyms:
centering; snap
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("snap" is a kind of...):
flip; pass; toss ((sports) the act of throwing the ball to another member of your team)
Domain category:
American football; American football game (a game played by two teams of 11 players on a rectangular field 100 yards long; teams try to get possession of the ball and advance it across the opponents goal line in a series of (running or passing) plays)
Derivation:
snap (put in play with a snap)
Sense 2
Meaning:
The act of catching an object with the hands
Example:
the infielder's snap and throw was a single motion
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("snap" is a kind of...):
touch; touching (the act of putting two things together with no space between them)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "snap"):
fair catch ((American football) a catch of a punt on the fly by a defensive player who has signalled that he will not run and so should not be tackled)
interception ((American football) the act of catching a football by a player on the opposing team)
reception ((American football) the act of catching a pass in football)
rebound (the act of securing possession of the rebounding basketball after a missed shot)
shoestring catch ((baseball) a running catch made near the ground)
interlock; interlocking; mesh; meshing (the act of interlocking or meshing)
Derivation:
snap (to grasp hastily or eagerly)
Sense 3
Meaning:
The act of snapping the fingers; movement of a finger from the tip to the base of the thumb on the same hand
Example:
he gave his fingers a snap
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("snap" is a kind of...):
motility; motion; move; movement (a change of position that does not entail a change of location)
Derivation:
snap (cause to make a snapping sound)
snap (make a sharp sound)
snappy (pleasantly cold and invigorating)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Any undertaking that is easy to do
Example:
marketing this product will be no picnic
Synonyms:
breeze; child's play; cinch; duck soup; picnic; piece of cake; pushover; snap; walkover
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("snap" is a kind of...):
labor; project; task; undertaking (any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "snap"):
doddle (an easy task)
Sense 5
Meaning:
A fastener used on clothing; fastens with a snapping sound
Example:
children can manage snaps better than buttons
Synonyms:
press stud; snap; snap fastener
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("snap" is a kind of...):
fastener; fastening; fixing; holdfast (restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place)
Sense 6
Meaning:
An informal photograph; usually made with a small hand-held camera
Example:
he tried to get unposed shots of his friends
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("snap" is a kind of...):
exposure; photo; photograph; pic; picture (a representation of a person or scene in the form of a print or transparent slide or in digital format)
Derivation:
snap (record on photographic film)
Sense 7
Meaning:
The tendency of a body to return to its original shape after it has been stretched or compressed
Example:
the waistband had lost its snap
Synonyms:
elasticity; snap
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("snap" is a kind of...):
physical property (any property used to characterize matter and energy and their interactions)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "snap"):
elasticity of shear (the elasticity of a body that has been pulled out of shape by a shearing force)
temper; toughness (the elasticity and hardness of a metal object; its ability to absorb considerable energy before cracking)
stretch; stretchability; stretchiness (the capacity for being stretched)
give; spring; springiness (the elasticity of something that can be stretched and returns to its original length)
bounce; bounciness (the quality of a substance that is able to rebound)
resilience; resiliency (the physical property of a material that can return to its original shape or position after deformation that does not exceed its elastic limit)
Sense 8
Meaning:
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("snap" is a kind of...):
break (the occurrence of breaking)
Derivation:
snap (break suddenly and abruptly, as under tension)
snap (separate or cause to separate abruptly)
Sense 9
Meaning:
Example:
he can hear the snap of a twig
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural events
Hypernyms ("snap" is a kind of...):
noise (sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound))
Derivation:
snap (close with a snapping motion)
snap (move or strike with a noise)
snap (move with a snapping sound)
Sense 10
Meaning:
The noise produced by the rapid movement of a finger from the tip to the base of the thumb on the same hand
Example:
servants appeared at the snap of his fingers
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural events
Hypernyms ("snap" is a kind of...):
noise (sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound))
Derivation:
snap (cause to make a snapping sound)
snap (make a sharp sound)
Sense 11
Meaning:
A crisp round cookie flavored with ginger
Synonyms:
ginger nut; ginger snap; gingersnap; snap
Classified under:
Nouns denoting foods and drinks
Hypernyms ("snap" is a kind of...):
biscuit; cookie; cooky (any of various small flat sweet cakes ('biscuit' is the British term))
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "snap"):
brandysnap (a gingersnap flavored with brandy)
Sense 12
Meaning:
Tender green beans without strings that easily snap into sections
Synonyms:
snap; snap bean
Classified under:
Nouns denoting foods and drinks
Hypernyms ("snap" is a kind of...):
green bean (immature bean pod eaten as a vegetable)
Sense 13
Meaning:
Example:
a cold snap in the middle of May
Classified under:
Nouns denoting time and temporal relations
Hypernyms ("snap" is a kind of...):
patch; piece; spell; while (a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition)
Derivation:
snappy (pleasantly cold and invigorating)
II. (verb)
Verb forms
Present simple: I / you / we / they snap ... he / she / it snaps
Past simple: snapped
-ing form: snapping
Sense 1
Meaning:
Break suddenly and abruptly, as under tension
Example:
The pipe snapped
Synonyms:
crack; snap
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "snap" is one way to...):
break; come apart; fall apart; separate; split up (become separated into pieces or fragments)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Derivation:
snap (a sudden breaking)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Example:
The lock snapped shut
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "snap" is one way to...):
close; shut (move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s
Derivation:
snap (a sudden sharp noise)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
Example:
The guard snarled at us
Synonyms:
snap; snarl
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Hypernyms (to "snap" is one way to...):
mouth; speak; talk; utter; verbalise; verbalize (express in speech)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Sentence example:
They snap that there was a traffic accident
Sense 4
Meaning:
Example:
She snapped a picture of the President
Synonyms:
photograph; shoot; snap
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Hypernyms (to "snap" is one way to...):
enter; put down; record (make a record of; set down in permanent form)
Verb group:
film; shoot; take (make a film or photograph of something)
Domain category:
photography; picture taking (the act of taking and printing photographs)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "snap"):
retake (photograph again)
x-ray (take an x-ray of something or somebody)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Derivation:
snap (an informal photograph; usually made with a small hand-held camera)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Cause to make a snapping sound
Example:
snap your fingers
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "snap" is one way to...):
move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Derivation:
snap (the act of snapping the fingers; movement of a finger from the tip to the base of the thumb on the same hand)
snap (the noise produced by the rapid movement of a finger from the tip to the base of the thumb on the same hand)
snapper (a party favor consisting of a paper roll (usually containing candy or a small favor) that pops when pulled at both ends)
Sense 6
Meaning:
Example:
snap a football
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "snap" is one way to...):
hit (cause to move by striking)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Derivation:
snap ((American football) putting the ball in play by passing it (between the legs) to a back)
snapper ((football) the person who plays center on the line of scrimmage and snaps the ball to the quarterback)
Sense 7
Meaning:
Example:
Before I could stop him the dog snatched the ham bone
Synonyms:
snap; snatch; snatch up
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "snap" is one way to...):
clutch; prehend; seize (take hold of; grab)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "snap"):
swoop; swoop up (seize or catch with a swooping motion)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Also:
snap up (get hold of or seize quickly and easily)
Derivation:
snap (the act of catching an object with the hands)
Sense 8
Meaning:
Example:
he snapped indignantly
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "snap" is one way to...):
bite; seize with teeth (to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Sense 9
Meaning:
Separate or cause to separate abruptly
Example:
tear the paper
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "snap" is one way to...):
disunite; divide; part; separate (force, take, or pull apart)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "snap"):
lacerate (cut or tear irregularly)
pull; rend; rip; rive (tear or be torn violently)
rip up; shred; tear up (tear into shreds)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Sentence examples:
The ropes snap
The strong winds snap the rope
Derivation:
snap (a sudden breaking)
Sense 10
Meaning:
Lose control of one's emotions
Example:
When her baby died, she snapped
Synonyms:
break down; lose it; snap
Classified under:
Hypernyms (to "snap" is one way to...):
act; behave; do (behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "snap"):
dissolve (lose control emotionally)
die (be brought to or as if to the point of death by an intense emotion such as embarrassment, amusement, or shame)
fall apart; go to pieces (lose one's emotional or mental composure)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Sense 11
Meaning:
Example:
his arm was snapped forward
Synonyms:
click; snap
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Hypernyms (to "snap" is one way to...):
move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Derivation:
snap (a sudden sharp noise)
Sense 12
Meaning:
Example:
bullets snapped past us
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Hypernyms (to "snap" is one way to...):
move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)
Sentence frame:
Something is ----ing PP
Derivation:
snap (a sudden sharp noise)
Sense 13
Meaning:
Example:
his fingers snapped
Synonyms:
crack; snap
Classified under:
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling
Hypernyms (to "snap" is one way to...):
go; sound (make a certain noise or sound)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Derivation:
snap (the act of snapping the fingers; movement of a finger from the tip to the base of the thumb on the same hand)
snap (the noise produced by the rapid movement of a finger from the tip to the base of the thumb on the same hand)
Context examples:
"Ghouls and harpies!" Brissenden snapped out with clicking teeth.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
And I'd rather have it than any title such as girls snap up so readily, and find nothing behind.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
One hinge snapped, then the other, and down came the door with a crash.
(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
You have an extraordinary chart, and if you could bottle your star power and sell it, people would beat a path to your door and snap it up at any price.
(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)
Dorothy looked at him in amazement, and so did the Scarecrow, while Toto barked sharply and made a snap at the tin legs, which hurt his teeth.
(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)
The ocean circulation began slowing down about 400 years before the cold snap, but once the climate started changing, temperatures over Greenland plunged quickly by about 6 degrees.
(A new study is the first to measure the time lags between changing ocean currents and major climate shifts., University of Cambridge)
There, they snap into spicules, releasing both plasma and energy.
(Scientists Uncover Origins of the Sun’s Swirling Spicules, NASA)
He opened it at the breech, put something in, and snapped the breech-lock.
(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Just as he was going out of the iron door it struck twelve, and the door fell so quickly upon him that it snapped off a piece of his heel.
(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)
Sir Lothian Hume had been looking impatiently at his watch, and now he shut it with a triumphant snap.
(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)