snatch /snæt͡ʃ/noun 10verb 6forms 7phrases 1 noun10 •A quick grab or catch.The leftfielder makes a nice snatch to end the inning. •A piece of some sound, usually music or conversation.I heard a snatch of Mozart as I passed the open window. •A short period.At the end we preferred to travel all night, Sleeping in snatches, — 1927 •(old-fashioned) A brief period of exertion. •A competitive weightlifting event in which a barbell is lifted from the platform to locked arms overhead in a smooth continuous movement. •(slang, vulgar) The vulva.Claude, is it true what they say about Olovia? Of course she’s getting a little old for us—what about Marilyum, did you try her snatch? — 1962 •Rapid, uncommanded jerking or oscillation of the ailerons of some aircraft at high Mach numbers, resulting from shock wave formation at transonic speeds.If, after the pilot notices the overspeed, he deploys the spoilers, or if aileron "snatch" rolls the airplane to an excessive bank angle, it may become impossible to recover. — 1982 •(old-fashioned) A hasty snack; a bite to eat. •(old-fashioned) A catching of the voice. •(old-fashioned) A quibble. verb6 •To grasp and remove quickly.He snatched up the phone.She snatched the letter out of the secretary's hand. •To take or seize hastily, abruptly, or without permission or ceremony.when half our knowledge we must snatch, not take — 1731 •(informal) To steal.Someone has just snatched my purse! •(figurative) To take (a victory) at the last moment.But, with United fans in celebratory mood as it appeared their team might snatch glory, they faced an anxious wait as City equalised in stoppage time. — 2012 •To do something quickly in the limited time available.He snatched a sandwich before catching the train.He snatched a glimpse of her while her mother had her back turned. •To attempt to seize something suddenly. formssnatch'd · snatched · snatcht · snatching · snatches · snatcheth · snatchest Phrases with snatch snatch the pebbleTo fully grasp the meaning of a concept or to develop a skill to a high degree of proficiency, often that rivals some specific expert.
