snate.html - v. & n.
--v.

tr.
1 seize quickly, eagerly, or unexpectedly, esp. with outstretched hands.
2 steal (a wallet, handbag, etc.).
3 secure with difficulty (snatched an hour's rest).
4 (foll. by away, from) take away or from esp. suddenly (snatched away my hand).
5 (foll. by from) rescue narrowly (snatched from the jaws of death).
6 (foll. by at) a try to seize by stretching or grasping suddenly. b take (an offer etc.) eagerly.

--n.

1 an act of snatching (made a snatch at it).
2 a fragment of a song or talk etc. (caught a snatch of their conversation).
3 US sl. a kidnapping.
4 (in weight-lifting) the rapid raising of a weight from the floor to above the head.
5 a short spell of activity etc.

in (or by) snatches in fits and starts.

snatcher n. (esp. in sense 3 of n.). snatchy adj. [ME snecchen, sna(c)che, perh. rel. to SNACK]

snate.html - {n.} A very slow movement forward. * /Time moved at a snail's pace before the holidays./ * /The donkey on which he was riding moved at a snail's pace./

snate.html - {n. phr.}, {informal} A person who cannot be trusted; an unfaithful traitor; rascal. * /Did Harry tell you that? He's a snake in the grass!/ * /Some snake in the grass told the teacher our plans./

snate.html - See: COLD SNAP.

snate.html - See: MAKE IT SNAPPY.

snate.html - {v. phr.} To show contempt for; show no respect for; pay no attention to; scorn; disregard. * /John snapped his fingers at the sign that said "Do not enter," and he went in the door./ * /The highway sign said "Speed limit, 35 miles per hour," but when a driver snapped his fingers at it by going 55 miles an hour, a motorcycle policeman arrested him./