Schnappen

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To seize or catch something quickly with the mouth or hand; to grasp or capture suddenly; to snap at or bite abruptly
2. To take hold of swiftly using teeth or hands; to clutch or grab in a sudden, sharp movement; to make a snapping or biting motion
3. To capture or grasp something in a rapid, reflexive action; to bite or snap at an object or person; to swiftly close upon or catch hold of something

Etymology: "Schnappen" is a German verb, and its core idea is onomatopoeic: it imitates the sharp, quick sound of a snap or click. Germanic languages are full of such sound-words, and "schnappen" belongs to the same family as English "snap" and "snatch," which share a root describing a swift, sudden seizing. The sound came first and the action followed, so the word captures the motion through the noise it makes. The word's range is wider than the English "snap." In German it can describe a dog snapping at a bone, a person snatching a breath ("nach Luft schnappen"), or a lock clicking shut. Among these uses, the sudden, decisive closing of something, whether jaws or a door latch, is what ties the meanings together.

Synonyms: grab, snatch, catch, seize, nab

Antonyms: release, let go, drop, lose