Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1100-1200
Origin: Perhaps from Middle Dutch snacken; SNACK2

snatch

1 verb
     
snatch1 [transitive]
1 to take something away from someone with a quick, often violent, movement [= grab]:
The thief snatched her purse and ran.
snatch something away/back from somebody
Keith snatches toys away from the other children.
2 to take someone away from a person or place, especially by force:
Vargas was snatched from his home by two armed men.
3 to quickly get something, especially sleep or rest, because you do not have very much time [= grab]:
I managed to snatch an hour's sleep on the train.

snatch at something

phrasal verb
to quickly put out your hand to try to take or hold something:
Jessie snatched at the bag but I pulled it away.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
 
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