Also 3 snecchen, 4–5 snacche, snache, 6 snach, snatche; 7 pa. t. snaught. [Of obscure origin: perhaps related to SNACK sb.2]
1. intr. a. To make a sudden snap or bite (at something).
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 324. Ase ofte ase þe hund of helle keccheð ei god from þe,… smit hine so luðerliche þet him loðie to snecchen eft to þe.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. xxvi. 788. Whan þei [flies] fleeþ aȝens his face, he [a hounde] snaccheþ after [1495 snatchyth at] hem wiþ his mouþe.
c. 1400. Beryn, 651. The dogg lay evir grownyng, redy for to snache.
1568. Jacob & Esau, II. ii. Esau. If I had thee, I woulde eate thee, to God I vowe…. Ragau. Fall ye to snatching at folkes: adieu, I am gone.
1595. Shaks., John, IV. i. 117. And, like a dogge that is compell’d to fight, Snatch at his Master that doth tarre him on.
1718. Bp. Hutchinson, Witchcraft, 6. In that Madness … the Person will Bark, and Snatch at those that are near.
1828. [see SNATCH- b].
fig. 1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. To Rdr. I thinke there is no man, that hath ben snatched at, bitten, & torne in sonder with moe sclaunders than I.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 59 b. You come at the length to our Church, the orders whereof you do captiously snatch at.
b. To make a sudden catch at a thing, in order to secure hold or possession of it. Also fig.
1530. Palsgr., 723/2. I snatche at a thynge hastelye to take it, je happe apres.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., III. ii. 29. Briars and thornes at their apparell snatch. Ibid. (1604), Oth., V. ii. 275. This looke of thine will hurle my Soule from Heauen, And Fiends will snatch at it.
1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low-C. Warrs, 375. The Government … was snatched at on the one side by the Wife…: On the other side, by some Noblemen.
1789. Mme. D’Arblay, Diary, 6 Jan. I had previously entreated my father to snatch at any possible opportunity of expressing his satisfaction.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., i. All … snatched at bushes and rocks by which to secure themselves. Ibid. (1831), Cast. Dang., xix. To snatch at any such occasion as shall be ministered to me.
1882. J. Parker, Apost. Life, I. 93. The Apostles did not snatch at praise for themselves.
2. trans. To seize, to take or lay hold of, suddenly, smartly or unexpectedly.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 13889. Þe lyon for hunger snacches & sleþ þe best þat he first lacches.
1526. Skelton, Magnyf., 1170. Snatche a puddyng tyl the rost be redy.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. ii. 17. The Sarazin … Snatcheth his sword, and fiercely to him flies.
1616. J. Lane, Contn. Sqr.’s T., VII. 262. Algarsife … snaught his swoord, and with a loftie whiff, rann vppon Camball.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., II. 60. He [a Lion] snatches a man, and jumping into the water with him, carries him over to the other side.
1728. Young, Love Fame, I. 47. Will no superior genius snatch the quill, And save me, on the brink, from writing ill?
1765. Ann. Reg., I. 215. It was agreed that Matthews and Byfield should that night pick pockets or snatch hats.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. V. iv. All green things are snatched, and made cockades of.
1841. Lane, Arab. Nts., I. 83. The fisherman hastily snatched the sealed leaden stopper.
fig. 1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., IV. v. 192. It seem’d in mee, But as an Honour snatch’d with boyst’rous hand.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., i. Those advantages, which … the Duke would have snatched with an armed hand.
b. With immaterial object: To take, obtain, acquire, etc., in a hasty or improper manner, or so as to take advantage of a momentary chance.
1563. Foxe, A. & M., 1367/1. I could wyshe more faythfull dealyng with Gods woorde, and not to … snatche a part here and another there.
1598. Drayton, Heroical Ep., viii. 98. My lips haue waited,… And snatch’d his words, ere he could get them forth.
1621. G. Sandys, Ovid’s Met., II. (1626), 30. What should shee doe? but … snatch a parting kisse?
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 1025. I fear least Death So snatcht will not exempt us from the paine.
1726. Berkeley, Lett., Wks. 1871, IV. 138. I shall nevertheless snatch the present moment to write you short answers.
1789. Belsham, Ess., I. xi. 212. Let not such persons vainly pretend to snatch those graces which are beyond the reach of art.
1829. Lytton, Disowned, I. x. 165. Let us snatch what happiness is yet in our power.
1879. H. Schütz Wilson, in 19th Cent., No. 32. 665. He seeks, at times, to snatch a verdict for his client by ignoring some, and even confusing other evidence.
1891. Labour Commission Gloss., Snatching a victory by getting an advance in wages. The method employed is to choose a time when the masters are divided in opinion.
† c. refl. To catch or entangle (oneself). Obs.–1
1575. Gascoigne, Flowers, etc. Wks. 1907, I. 99. His wayting still to snatch himselfe in snare.
3. To seize, catch, or take suddenly from or out of one’s hands, etc.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. i. 43. Out of her gored wound the cruell steele He lightly snatcht.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 219. They sent out their boyes to scorne us, who … snatched from us our hats and other things.
1663. S. Patrick, Parab. Pilgr., xxiii. (1687), 244. Gold she sometimes … threw it abroad among the people; and then again snatched it out of their hands.
1737. [S. Berington], G. di Lucca’s Mem. (1738), 106. He snatch’d it out of my Hands with a prodigious Eagerness.
1812. Cary, Dante, Parad., III. 109. [Men] Forth snatch’d me from the pleasant cloister’s pale.
1878. M. A. Brown, trans. Runeberg’s Nadeschda, 35. He hurries off, with the intent to snatch The savage garland from her locks.
fig. 1607. Shaks., Timon, IV. iii. 441. The Moones an arrant Theefe, And her pale fire, she snatches from the Sunne.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., I. viii. 33. Such as they have, that entring into any discourse, are snatched from their purpose.
1781. Cowper, Table-T., 689. He snatch’d it [the laurel] rudely from the muses’ hand.
1825. Scott, Talism., viii. Nor befits it our fame that a brave adversary be snatched from our weapon by such a disease.
1848. Gallenga, Italy, I. p. xxvi. The sons of the north are snatching from your hands the sceptre of the arts.
absol. 1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., To Rdr. While we … snip here and snatch there from some of them.
b. With immaterial object. (Cf. 2 b.)
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 382. It were a fault to snatch words from my tongue.
1725. Pope, Odyss., I. 13. Oh, snatch some portion of these acts from fate, Celestial Muse!
1755. Johnson, Lett., 4 Feb. in Boswell. Snatch what time you can from the Hall, and the pupils [etc.].
1795. Coleridge, Sibyl. Leaves, Eolian Harp, 10 (1817), 175. How exquisite the scents Snatch’d from yon bean-field!
1845. G. P. R. James, Arrah Neil, iv. All were anxious to snatch a few hours from the gloomy thoughts that hung over the times.
1871. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), IV. 116. That a new English host was coming to snatch the victory from the conquerors.
c. To remove or avert hastily. Const. from.
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, I. 316. She snatched her hands from her face.
1855. Tennyson, Brook, 101. But Katie snatch’d her eyes at once from mine.
4. With adverbs: † a. With down: To devour hastily. Obs.–1
1519. Horman, Vulg., 39 b. Beware snatche nat thy meate downe to gredelye.
b. To catch, pick, or take up, suddenly or smartly.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 173. One of these wylde men … soodenly snatched vppe a childe of therse.
1592. Arden of Feversham, V. i. Chast Diana … Would … Fling down Endimion and snatch him vp.
1638. F. Junius, Paint. Ancients, 112. So were they taught that Art whose instruments they had snatched up.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 276. The Women … never are snatch’d up for their Great Fortunes.
1784. Cowper, Task, V. 49. His dog … snatches up the drifted snow With iv’ry teeth.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. I. iii. Scarcely … could they snatch up their ‘enormous hoops.’
transf. 1575. Gascoigne, Certain Notes Instruct. (Arb.), 33. The light accent is depressed or snatched vp.
c. To seize and take away suddenly.
1608. Shaks., Per., III. i. 24 (1609), E 2. Why do you make vs loue your goodly gyfts, And snatch them straight away?
1684. Contempl. State Man, I. ii. (1699), 15. That which Time spares, is often snatcht away by the covetousness of the Thief.
a. 1770. Jortin, Serm. (1771), II. xvii. 332. The Devil is here said to snatch the wood away from such persons.
1820. Shelley, Hymn Merc., xxix. And from the portion … I will snatch my share away.
d. To pull or tear off quickly (and roughly).
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 33. They snatch it quickly off of the fire, or stir it.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 45, ¶ 7. I snatched his Hat off his Head.
a. 1763. W. King, Polit. & Lit. Anecd. (1819), 63. One of Cromwell’s soldiers snatched off Sir William Smyth’s hat.
1847. Sarah Austin, trans. Ranke’s Hist. Ref., III. 371. Those who were standing near snatched off the wax of the seal.
5. To remove quickly from sight, etc.; to hide or conceal suddenly.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 20. Thee clowds snach gloomming from sight of Coompanie Troian Both Light and welken.
1711. Pope, Temple Fame, 354. A sudden cloud strait snatch’d them from my sight.
1835. Lytton, Rienzi, I. xii. 90. The long herbage, and the winding descent, soon snatched her ill-omened apparition from the desolate landscape.
1887. Bowen, Æneid, I. 88. Clouds snatch from the Teucrians’ sight Sunlight and sky.
6. To remove suddenly from this world or life. Used in passive and freq. with away and from.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. xlvi. § 1. Rather to bee taken then snatched away from the face of the earth.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, V. iii. 154. I am a-feard the life of Hellen (Ladie) Was fowly snatcht.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., IX. 110. William Bradbridge … was snatcht away with a sudden death.
1694. F. Bragge, Disc. Parables, ix. 335. The covetous rich fool, that trusted in his riches,… was suddenly snatched from them to give account of his stewardship.
1752. Berkeley, Th. Tar-water, Wks. III. 501. Several who are snatched away by untimely death.
1781. Cowper, Retirement, 167. They…, unregretted, are soon snatch’d away From scenes of sorrow into glorious day.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. III. vii. Wailing … that a Sovereign Man is snatched away.
1888. Burgon, Lives 12 Gd. Men, I. Pref. p. xiv. He was snatched away while affording in every Term fresh promise of a truly brilliant Professorial career.
b. To cut off from, by sudden removal.
1799. Cowper, Castaway, 63. When, snatch’d from all effectual aid, We perish’d, each alone.
7. To save or rescue from or out of danger, etc., by prompt or vigorous action.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., III. iv. 394. This youth that you see heere, I snatch’d one halfe out of the iawes of death.
1696. Tate & Brady, Ps. cxliv. 7. And snatch me from the stormy Rage.
1737. Whiston, Josephus, Antiq., VI. vi. 169. They snatched him out of the danger he was in.
1791. Burke, Corr. (1844), III. 215. The men who … snatch the worst criminals from justice.
1876. Miss Braddon, J. Haggard’s Dau., II. 22. Every soul snatched from darkness and death was a rich harvest.
1893. G. E. Matheson, About Holland, 10. A great part of it has been snatched from the sea.
8. In miscellaneous uses (see quots.).
1648. J. Beaumont, Psyche, VII. cxxiv. Through the air they snatch’d their greedy way.
1657. W. Morice, Coena quasi Κοινὴ, xvi. 256. The Spartan valour, who being struck down by a mortal blow, used to snatch their mouths full of earth [etc.].
1864. Tennyson, Aylmer’s F., 209. But Edith’s eager fancy hurried with him Snatch’d thro’ the perilous passes of his life.
9. Naut. To place (a line) in a snatch-block.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), E ee, To snatch the main-bowline, or put it into the snatch-block.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, xxxvi. 136. The line is snatched in a block upon the swifter.
1882. Nares, Seamanship (ed. 6), 181. Snatch the top-gallant sheets.
Hence Snatching ppl. a.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, vi. Those naked, snatching mountaineers, who are ever doing us wrong.
