Now Hist. Forms: α. 6–7 snaphanse, 6–7, 9 snaphance (6 snapp-), 7 snaphanch; 6–7, 9 snap-hance; 7 snap hance, hans. β. 6–7 snaphaunse, 6–7, 9 snephaunce; 7 snap-haunce, 7, 9 -haunch; 6 snap haunce. [Of Continental origin, repr. Du. and Flem. snaphaan (in Kilian snap-haen), MLG. snaphân, LG. snapphân, G. schnapphahn († -han), f. snappen, schnappen SNAP v. + haan, hahn cock. It is not quite clear whether the sense is ‘snapping cock’ or ‘cock-snapper’ (i.e., cock-stealer). In English the second element may have been confused with the personal name Hans; but Heyne (in Grimm’s Dict.) cites an early example of G. schnaphons.]
† 1. An armed robber or marauder; a freebooter or highwayman; a desperate fellow or thief. Obs.
α. 1538. Tonstall, Serm. Palm Sunday (1539), D viij b. To make this realme a praye to al venturers, al spoylers, al snaphanses, all forlornehopes.
1541. Paynell, Catiline, xxiii. 43 b. Thynkynge … that huge routes of snaphances and hopelostes, from all partes of Italy wolde resorte to hym.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., II. 684. He therefore required the prince to rid the realme of those snaphances.
β. 1548. Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Mark v. 37. Euen as thoughe a sorte of snaphaunses set all on mischiefe … would make this peticion.
1609. Armin, Maids More-Cl. (1880), 73. He that shall marry thee, is matcht y’faith, To English rash, or to a Dutch snap-haunce.
2. An early form of flint-lock used in muskets and pistols (cf. 3); also, the hammer of this.
Freq. contrasted with firelock (= wheel-lock), but the distinction is not always observed.
α. 1588. in Norfolk Archæol. (1847), I. 16. To Henry Radoe, smyth, for making one of the old pistolls with a snapphance.
1594. Lyly, Mother Bombie, II. i. These old huddles haue such strong purses with locks, when they shut them they go off like a snaphance.
1603. Florio, Montaigne, I. xlviii. 157. A pistoll to which belong so many severall partes, as powder, stone, locke, snap-hanse [etc.].
1660. Act 12 Chas. II., c. iv. Daggs with fire lockes or Snaphances.
1680. Harford, trans. Gaya, in Eng. Milit. Discipl., 22. Upon which, when one intends to fire, he puts down the Snaphaunce, which in stead of a Flint, ought to be provided with a true Mine-stone.
β. 1594. Barwick, Disc. Weapons, 22. A Harquebuze with a snaphaunce.
1607. Markham, Caval., II. 121. A pistoll which goes with a Snaphaunce.
1642. Sir E. Harwood, Advice, D j. Whether their Peeces to bee with Fire-locks or Snaphaunces, is questionable; the Fire-lock is more certaine for giving fire, the other more facile for use.
† b. transf. A spring catch or fastening. Obs.
1603. Dekker, Wonderful Year, Wks. (Grosart), I. 138. A leatherne pouch … that opened and shut with a Snap-hance.
a. 1613. Overbury, A Wife, etc. (1638), 194. His heart goes with the same snaphance his purse doth.
1633. T. Adams, Exp. 2 Peter i. 4. In a countryman’s budget, shut up with Snaphance?
¶ c. A spring trap. Obs.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., v. There are such traps and snap-haunches as may cost you a limb.
3. A musket, gun, etc., fitted with a lock of this kind, in use in the 16–17th centuries. Now Hist.
So Du. and Flem. snaphaan, G. † schnapphahnrohr.
α. 1590. Sir J. Smythe, Disc. Weapons, 47. [Not] to strike iust vpon the wheeles being firelockes, or vpon the hammers or steeles, if they be Snap-hances.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, III. xii. 93. Three hundred Muskets, Snaphances, and Firelockes.
1651. in H. Cary, Mem. Civ. War (1832), II. 289. We have left us in store but … two thousand and thirty muskets, whereof thirty snaphancies.
1860. Motley, Netherl., vi. I. 316. [He] had borne a snap-hance on his shoulder as a volunteer.
1882. Standard, 10 Feb., 5/3. The seafaring man with his snap-chance, his flint lock, or his steel lance was upon them.
β. c. 1580. J. Hooker, Life Sir P. Carew, in Archaeol., XXVIII. 139. Sir Peter … hade with hyme a case of excellente snaphaunses.
1591. Garrard’s Art Warre, 129. If the horse men use firelocke peeces, or snap haunces.
1655. Markham, Hunger’s Prevention, 44. Tis better it be a fier locke or Snaphaunce then a cocke and tricker.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Snaphaunse, a fire-lock, or Gun that strikes fire without the use of a match.
1821. Scott, Nigel, xxvii. ‘Let me see those pistols.’ ‘Ye are not so unwise as to meddle with such snap-haunches?’
1840. Gresley, Siege of Lichfield, 287. The snaphaunce differed from the modern firelock, in the hammer not forming the covering for the pan.
fig. 1608. J. Day, Law Trickes, V. i. A parlous Girle; her wits a meere Snaphaunce, Goes with a fire locke.
† b. A soldier armed with this form of gun.
1645. N. Drake, 2nd Siege of Pontefract (Surtees), 47. Capt. Joshua Walker with … about 20 snaphanches went out through the howses.
† 4. fig. Ready answer or argument. Obs.–1
1598. Marston, Sco. Villanie, I. iv. 190. And old crabb’d Scotus … Pay’th me with snaphaunce, quick distinction.
† 5. A woman of low character. Obs.–1
a. 1625. Fletcher, Women Pleased, III. ii. (1679), 195/2. ’Faith wholsome women will but spoil ye too, For you are so us’d to snap-haunces.
6. Attrib., as snaphance bag, hate, lock, musket, pistol, satirist.
1592. Nashe, P. Penilesse, Wks. (Grosart), II. 77. It is your dooing … that these stal-fed cormorants … must bung vp all the welth of the Land in their snap-haunce bags.
1598. E. Guilpin, Skial., E 2. The sharp tart veriuice of his snap-haunce hate.
1598. Marston, Pygmal., Sat. ii. Wks. 1856, III. 217. I, that even now lisp’d like an amorist, Am turn’d into a snaphaunce Satyrist.
1643. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. IV. 67. The hundred Snaphance muskets and … other small things.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. xviii. (Roxb.), 135/1. A snaphaunch Lock is the generall name for all fire Locks.
1898. Proc. Soc. Antiquaries, March, 107. The President exhibited a snaphaunce pistol of the year 1619.
