rhizoverbBeta
DictionarysnapSudden break
verb / noun / adjective

snap

SNAP/snæp/

A sudden sharp movement or breaking sound.

The dry branch snaps as I bend it.

A woman bends a dry twig until it breaks at the center, shown at the instant the jagged ends spring apart.
Etymology
snapDutchto snap

Snap comes from, or is cognate with, Dutch or Low German snappen. Its early meaning of making a quick bite broadened to sudden, sharp breaking, preserving the abruptness of the original action.

In context

Factory Secrets: How It's Made39:08
You hear only a brief crescendo of hydraulic rumble and then a sharp dry sound like a gunshot. Hydraulics bite through a giant link as easily as you snap a toothpick.
How It’s Made: The $400 Per Gram Metal No One Can Cut

More examples

  • The lid snaps into place when you press down.
  • I hear a sharp snap as the rope breaks.
  • She snaps at anyone who interrupts her.
  • He makes a snap decision without considering the risks.

Forms

snap · snaps · snapped · snapping

snappy adjective — Irritable and sharp in speech.

Similar words

break
Does not necessarily imply suddenness or a sharp sound.
crack
Can describe splitting without breaking completely into separate pieces.
jerk
Emphasizes abrupt movement rather than breaking or making a sound.