What does "snatch" mean?

1. (to grab suddenly) to take something quickly and often rudely or by force. 2. (to win at the last moment) to win a game or a prize just before it ends. 3. (to do something quickly) to find a small amount of time to do something, like sleep or eat. 4. (a small piece) a very short part of a conversation, a song, or a story. 5. (weightlifting) a type of lift where the athlete moves the weight from the floor to above their head in one motion. 6. (vulva) an impolite word for a woman's genitals. 7. (aviation vibration) a sudden shaking of an airplane's wings when flying very fast.

How do you use "snatch"?

Often used with 'away' or 'up'.

snatch

v. · n.

US //ˈsnætʃ// UK //snˈætʃ// snatch

1 to grab suddenly (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to take something quickly and often rudely or by force.

to seize or grasp something abruptly, often without permission or with sudden force.

Example

The monkey reached out and snatched the banana right out of my hand.

Example

The thief snatched the tourist's handbag and disappeared into the crowded market before anyone could react.

Usage

Often used with 'away' or 'up'.
- release
- drop
2 to win at the last moment (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Sport

to win a game or a prize just before it ends.

to achieve a victory or success unexpectedly at the final moment of a competition.

Example

The team managed to snatch a victory in the final seconds of the match.

Example

The underdog candidate managed to snatch the lead in the final hours of polling, surprising political analysts across the country.
- steal
- secure
- forfeit
- lose

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3 to do something quickly (v.)
C1 Advanced Informal

to find a small amount of time to do something, like sleep or eat.

to perform an action or obtain something briefly in the limited time available.

Example

I managed to snatch an hour of sleep on the train before my meeting.

Example

Between the two long surgery sessions, the doctor tried to snatch a quick lunch in the staff room.
- squeeze in
4 a small piece (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

a very short part of a conversation, a song, or a story.

a small, fragmentary portion of something, especially of speech or music.

Example

I only heard a snatch of their conversation as I walked past the office.

Example

The radio was poorly tuned, so we only caught snatches of the news broadcast between bursts of static.
- whole
- entirety
5 weightlifting (n.)
C1 Advanced Technical Sport

a type of lift where the athlete moves the weight from the floor to above their head in one motion.

a competitive weightlifting lift in which a barbell is raised from the ground to an overhead position in one continuous movement.

Example

He broke the national record for the snatch in the heavyweight category.

Example

The athlete's technique in the snatch was flawless, demonstrating a perfect balance of explosive power and overhead stability.
6 vulva (n.)
C2 Proficiency Slang Vulgar

an impolite word for a woman's genitals.

a slang term for the vulva, considered offensive in most social contexts.

Example

The comedian used the word snatch in a joke that many people found offensive.

Example

The use of such vulgarisms as 'snatch' in the workplace is grounds for immediate disciplinary action.

Teacher's tip

This is a highly offensive term; learners should be aware of it to avoid using it accidentally.
7 aviation vibration (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Science

a sudden shaking of an airplane's wings when flying very fast.

rapid, uncommanded oscillation of aircraft control surfaces occurring at transonic speeds.

Example

The pilot felt a slight snatch as the jet approached the speed of sound.

Example

Engineers redesigned the ailerons to minimize snatch during high-Mach maneuvers.
- buffeting

Origin

From Middle English snacchen, snecchen (“to snap; seize”), from Old English snæċċan, sneċċan, from Proto-West Germanic snakkjan, from Proto-Germanic snakjaną (“to whiff, sniff, catch wind of; to taste-test, nibble”), related to Proto-Germanic snakōną (“to breathe, blow, sigh”) and snakkōną (“to blather, jabber, chatter”). Cognate with Middle Dutch snacken (“to snap [of a dog]”), Norwegian Nynorsk snaka (“to snatch [of animals]”). Related also to Dutch snakken (“to sob, pant, long for”), Low German snacken (“to chatter”), German schnacken (“to chat”), Danish snakke (“to chat”) and Norwegian snakke (“to chat”). Related to snack.

Idioms3 entries