the verb-stem used in combs.: a. Naut. Denoting devices capable of rapid attachment, or to which a rope can be quickly attached, as snatch-cheek, -cleat, -hook, † -pulley, -sheave (cf. SNATCH-BLOCK).

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1485.  Naval Acc. Hen. VII. (1896), 50. Snache poleis, ij. Ibid. (1495), 192. Snache poleyes with oon shever of brasse to ye same.

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1842.  R. Burn, Fr. Techn. Dict., 162. Taquet à gueule,… snatch-cleat.

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1832.  Nares, Seamanship (ed. 6), 73. A snatch cheek on the after side of the … yard arm. Ibid., 76. Rove … through a snatch sheave.

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1891.  Cent. Dict., Snatch-cleat, a curved cleat or chock round which a rope may be led.

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  b.  In objective combs., as snatch-apple, † -cly, -grace, † -pasty (see quots.).

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1687.  Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., A Snatch-pasty, un Voleur de Pâtez.

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1796.  Grose’s Dict. Vulgar T. (ed. 3), Snatch Cly. A thief who snatches women’s pockets.

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1828.  Carr, Craven Gloss., Snatch-apple, an apple suspended by a string, with which children amuse themselves by snatching at it with their teeth.

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1884.  Browning, Ferishtah (1885), 65. No scape-grace? Then, rejoice Thou snatch-grace safe in Syria!

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  c.  = SNAP- e.

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1889.  Spectator, 7 Dec., 810/2. He secured a snatch-vote in favour of a permanent system of arbitration.

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1893.  Times, 21 June, 9/4. It is impossible to suppose the snatch division … has settled the point.

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1895.  Westm. Gaz., 22 June, 5/3. What Ministerialists regard as a snatch reverse in Supply.

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  d.  Denoting the practice or use of snatching, as snatch-thief.

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1892.  Boston (Mass.) Jrnl., 3 Nov., 3/7. A snatch thief arrested.

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1903.  R. Anderson, in 19th Cent., March, 507. The snatch thief, who relies on his swiftness of foot.

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