snapping
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
breaking something suddenly with a sharp, cracking noise.
breaking or cracking with a sudden, sharp sound; often used to describe brittle materials under tension.
Simple“The dry branches were snapping under our feet as we walked through the woods.”
In context“The sound of snapping twigs alerted the hikers to the presence of a large animal moving through the dense underbrush.”
UsageOften used as an intransitive verb in the progressive aspect to describe a continuous sound.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
speaking to someone in a quick, angry, or annoyed way.
addressing someone with sudden irritability or sharp, impatient language.
Simple“I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier; I was just very stressed about work.”
In context“The manager had a habit of snapping at his subordinates whenever the quarterly figures failed to meet his expectations.”
UsageUsually takes the preposition 'at' when directed toward a person.
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
taking a quick, informal photograph of something.
taking a photograph, typically in a quick or informal manner without extensive preparation.
Simple“She spent the whole afternoon snapping photos of the street performers.”
In context“Tourists were snapping pictures of the monument from every conceivable angle, oblivious to the local traffic.”
UsageCommonly used with 'photos' or 'pictures' as a direct object.
Synonyms
“The Hammers are preparing for the possibility of Brentford snapping up El Hadji Malick Diouf.”