Snap back

Snap Snap, n. [Cf. D. snap a snatching. See {Snap}, v. t.] 1. A sudden breaking or rupture of any substance. [1913 Webster]

2. A sudden, eager bite; a sudden seizing, or effort to seize, as with the teeth. [1913 Webster]

3. A sudden, sharp motion or blow, as with the finger sprung from the thumb, or the thumb from the finger. [1913 Webster]

4. A sharp, abrupt sound, as that made by the crack of a whip; as, the snap of the trigger of a gun. [1913 Webster]

5. A greedy fellow. --L'Estrange. [1913 Webster]

6. That which is, or may be, snapped up; something bitten off, seized, or obtained by a single quick movement; hence, a bite, morsel, or fragment; a scrap. [1913 Webster]

He's a nimble fellow, And alike skilled in every liberal science, As having certain snaps of all. --B. Jonson. [1913 Webster]

7. A sudden severe interval or spell; -- applied to the weather; as, a cold snap. --Lowell. [1913 Webster]

8. A small catch or fastening held or closed by means of a spring, or one which closes with a snapping sound, as the catch of a bracelet, necklace, clasp of a book, etc. [1913 Webster]

9. (Zo["o]l.) A snap beetle. [1913 Webster]

10. A thin, crisp cake, usually small, and flavored with ginger; -- used chiefly in the plural. [1913 Webster]

11. Briskness; vigor; energy; decision. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

12. Any circumstance out of which money may be made or an advantage gained. [Slang] [1913 Webster]

13. Any task, labor, set of circumstances, or the like, that yields satisfactory results or gives pleasure with little trouble or effort, as an easy course of study, a job where work is light, a bargain, etc. [Slang, Chiefly U. S.] [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

14. A snap shot with a firearm. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

15. (Photog.) A snapshot. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

16. Something of no value; as, not worth a snap. [Colloq.] [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

17. (Football) The action of snapping the ball back, from the center usu. to the quarterback, which commences the play (down), and, if the clock had stopped, restarts the timer clock; a {snap back}. [PJC]

{Snap back} (Football), the act of snapping back the ball.

{Snap beetle}, or {Snap bug} (Zo["o]l.), any beetle of the family {Elaterid[ae]}, which, when laid on its back, is able to leap to a considerable height by means of a thoracic spring; -- called also {snapping beetle}.

{Snap flask} (Molding), a flask for small work, having its sides separable and held together by latches, so that the flask may be removed from around the sand mold.

{Snap judgment}, a judgment formed on the instant without deliberation.

{Snap lock}, a lock shutting with a catch or snap.

{Snap riveting}, riveting in which the rivets have snapheads formed by a die or swaging tool.

{Snap shot}, a quick offhand shot, without deliberately taking aim. [1913 Webster]