1587 A. Fleming et al. Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) III. 298/2 At which words George Buchanan giueth a snatch.

1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene iii. i. sig. Bb8 Like dastard Curres, that..rome from place to place, To get a snatch, when turned is his face.

1611 M. Smith in Bible (King James) Transl. Pref. ⁋2 Happy is he that is least tossed vpon tongues; for vtterly to escape the snatch of them it is impossible.

1651 N. Bacon Contin. Hist. Disc. Govt. 301 What was gotten by the snatch was lost by the catch.

1831 W. Scott Kenilworth (rev. ed.) iii, in Waverley Novels XXIII. 49 The fawning wile of the spaniel, the determined snatch of the mastiff.

1873 M. Arnold Lit. & Dogma vii. 218 Here and there he made guesses and snatches at the truth.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Cymbeline (1623) iv. ii. 106 The snatches in his voice, And burst of speaking were as his. View more context for this quotation

1822 J. M. Good Study Med. III. 434 The movements of his arms were indeed in ungraceful snatches, and the muscles of the neck frequently evinced a like convulsive start.

1928 Health & Strength Ann. 77 Lifters are urged to maintain themselves in a state of readiness on the three Olympic lifts, viz: ‘Two Hands Clean and Military Press with Barbell’, ‘Two Hands Snatch’, and the ‘Two Hands Clean and Jerk with Barbell’.

1950 Sun (Baltimore) 1 May 15/4 Sheppard lifted 240 in the snatch.

1968 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 17 Feb. 11/3 Modern lifters do not perform one-arm lifts. Once, two of them were on the Olympic agenda: the one-arm press and the one-arm snatch.

1976 All about Games (Com. Org. des Jeux Olympiques) 81 There are two lifts in modern weight~lifting—the snatch and the clean and jerk.

1932 Motoring Encycl. 137/1 A little thin oil..will soften the [clutch] surfaces sufficiently to avoid snatch.

1955 Times 2 Aug. 10/5 Upward and downward changes were made without any trace of snatch.

1962 Which? Car Suppl. Oct. 139/1 The car was in excellent condition, apart from..a little ‘snatch’ in the transmission.

1563 J. Foxe Actes & Monuments 1187/2 I wene we shall haue a snatch of rebellion euen now.

1573 T. Tusser Fiue Hundreth Points Good Husbandry (new ed.) f. 48^v Then after a shower, to weding a snatch.

a1617 S. Hieron Present for Caesar in Wks. (1620) II. 451 By day is not meant now and then a snatch, or a piece of the forenoone only.

1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica To Rdr. In this work attempts will exceed performances; it being composed by snatches of time. View more context for this quotation

1663 J. Bunyan Praying in Spirit in Wks. (1855) I. 623 One [vizard] for an appearance before men, and another for a short snatch in a corner.

1825 C. Lamb in London Mag. May 68 The..tedious weeks that must intervene before such another snatch [of holidays] would come.

1893 R. L. Stevenson Catriona xxix. 339 I was scarce so miserable the next days but what I had many hopeful and happy snatches.

1820 L. Hunt Indicator xiv The most relishing snatch of slumber out of bed.

1863 M. Oliphant Salem Chapel II. xxi. 1 Snatches of momentary sleep..had fallen upon her.

1880 R. Jefferies Round about Great Estate 32 The sunshine broods warm over the mead. It is a delicious snatch of spring.

1885 Manch. Examiner 14 July 5/1 Those snatches of fitful energy which mark the movements of the East.

1570 T. Tusser Hundreth Good Pointes Husbandry (new ed.) f. 29^v Call seruants to breakfast by day starre appere, a snatch and to worke.

1613 F. Beaumont Knight of Burning Pestle ii. sig. D4 Beleeue me To sleepe without a snatch would mickle grieue me.

1623 P. Massinger Duke of Millaine iii. ii. sig. G4^v I feare you'l haue cold entertainment..and 'twere discretion To take a snatch by the way.

1694 P. A. Motteux tr. F. Rabelais 5th Bk. Wks. vi After we had pretty well staid our Stomachs with some tight Snatches.

1785 J. Boswell Jrnl. Tour Hebrides 28 Sept. 1773, 326 Our kind host and hostess would not let us go without taking a snatch, as they called it; which was in truth a very good dinner.

1823 E. Moor Suffolk Words 372 Snatch, a mouthful between meals.

1893 W. Walker Three Churchmen vii. 76 He took only a snatch or light refection, returning immediately to his desk.

1592 R. Greene Quip for Vpstart Courtier sig. E2^v Tush what bawdrie is it he will not suffer, so he may haue mony and good chere, & if he like the wench wel a snatch himselfe.

1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues at Pain Prendre vn pain sur la fournée, to get a snatch at his wench thats readie to be maried.

1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy iii. ii. v. iii. 648 They had rather go to the stewes, or haue now and then a snatch.., then haue wiues of their owne.

1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 368 And not only these haue a share, but also..other seruitors pill and poll, and euery one hath a snatch.

a1610 J. Healey tr. Theophrastus Characters (1636) 51 Those which sacrifice and feast he makes great love to, hoping to get a snatch.

1592 G. Harvey Foure Lett. iv. 57 A snatch, and away, with..the common sort of studentes, may please a little, but profiteth nothing.

1656 R. Baxter Reformed Pastor 20 It is not now and then an idle snatch or taste of studies that will serve to make a sound Divine.

1673 Remarques on Humours of Town 124 You will hear..some snatches of occurences, whose beauty you are not able to perceive without the knowledge of the whole.

1732 H. Walpole Let. 7 Aug. (1903) I. 1 That little snatch of conversation was so agreeable.

1791 J. Boswell Life Johnson anno 1780 II. 340 [Johnson:] Snatches of reading..will not make a Bentley or a Clarke.

1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas I. ii. vi. 243 The barber..had heard some little snatches of my story from Fabricio.

1862 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia III. xiii. iv. 457 We had better give the snatch of Dialogue in primitive authentic form.

1890 R. L. Stevenson Vailima Lett. (1895) 12 I returned to begin this snatch of a letter before dinner was ready.

1816 L. Hunt Story of Rimini ii. 133 For leafy was the road, with..distant snatches of blue hills between.

1842 L. S. Costello Pilgrimage Auvergne I. 319 Planted with gigantic trees, from openings between which are charming snatches of country.

1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet iv. vii. 149 Which time she chaunted snatches of old laudes.

1814 W. Wordsworth Excursion i. 31 He..whistled many a snatch of merry tunes. View more context for this quotation

1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian iii, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. IV. 66 Madge was..singing her own wild snatches of songs and obsolete airs.

1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. III. iii. viii. 214 Not a musical Patriot can blow himself a snatch of melody from the French Horn.

1884 F. M. Crawford Rom. Singer (ed. 2) I. 10 It was quite natural that he should..begin to sing a snatch of the tenor air to me.

1823 C. Lamb in London Mag. Jan. 7/2 Singing..a number of old snatches besides, between drunk and sober.

1846 A. Smith Christopher Tadpole (1848) vii. 66 Having carolled which snatches, he played a kind of symphony.

1887 G. Saintsbury Hist. Elizabethan Lit. i. 9 Sometimes..both syntax and prosody..recall the ruder snatches of an earlier time.

1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 723/2 I snatche at a thynge hastelye to take it, je happe apres.

1600 W. Shakespeare Midsummer Night's Dream iii. ii. 29 Briers and thornes, at their apparell, snatch . View more context for this quotation

a1616 W. Shakespeare Othello (1622) v. ii. 282 This looke of thine, will hurle my soule from heauen, And fiends will snatch at it. View more context for this quotation

1665 T. Manley tr. H. Grotius De Rebus Belgicis 375 The Government..was snatched at on the one side by the Wife..: On the other side, by some Noblemen.

1787 F. Burney Diary & Lett. (1842) III. vii. 275 I had previously entreated my father to snatch at any possible opportunity of expressing his satisfaction.

1829 W. Scott Anne of Geierstein I. i. 25 All..snatched at bushes and rocks by which to secure themselves.

1831 W. Scott Castle Dangerous xii, in Tales of my Landlord 4th Ser. IV. 299 To snatch at any such occasion as shall be ministered to me.

1882 J. Parker Apostolic Life I. 93 The Apostles did not snatch at praise for themselves.

1563 J. Foxe Actes & Monuments 1367/1 I could wyshe more faythfull dealyng with Gods woorde, and not to..snatche a part here and another there.

1598 M. Drayton Englands Heroicall Epist. (new ed.) f. 31 My lips haue waited,..And snatch'd his words, ere he could get them forth.

1621 G. Sandys tr. Ovid First Five Bks. Metamorphosis ii. 41 What should shee doe? but..snatch a parting kisse?

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost x. 1025 I fear least Death So snatcht will not exempt us from the paine. View more context for this quotation

1726 G. Berkeley Let. in Wks. (1871) IV. 138 I shall nevertheless snatch the present moment to write you short answers.

1789 W. Belsham Ess. I. xi. 212 Let not..persons..pretend to snatch those graces which are beyond the reach of art.

1829 E. Bulwer-Lytton Disowned 40 Let us snatch what happiness is yet in our power.

1879 19th Cent. No. 32. 665 He seeks, at times, to snatch a verdict for his client by ignoring..evidence.

1891 Labour Commission Gloss. Snatching a victory by getting an advance in wages. The method employed is to choose a time when the masters are divided in opinion.

1575 G. Gascoigne Hundred Flowers in Wks. (1907) I. 99 His wayting still to snatch himselfe in snare.

1766 Ann. Reg. 1765 i. 215/1 It was agreed that Matthews and Byfield should that night pick pockets or snatch hats.

1887 G. W. Walling Recoll. N.Y. Chief of Police xviii. 254 His most brilliant exploit was his ‘snatching’ of $100,000 from the Royal Insurance Company's office in Broadway in broad daylight.

1919 P. G. Wodehouse Their Mutual Child i. i. 14 As if she had caught him in the act of endeavouring to snatch her purse.

1932 Detective Fiction Weekly 17 Dec. 23/2 It's dollars to doughnuts the kid was snatched up in the park.

1934 Sun (Baltimore) 10 Mar. 1/7 Banghart had introduced him to the Touhy mob just before the market speculator was ‘snatched’.

1936 Detective Fiction Weekly 6 June 12/1 It's one more sweet-running crate. Just about the sweetest I ever snatched.

1973 ‘I. Drummond’ Jaws of Watchdog xii. 156 Why didn't we snatch him in the street and take him away someplace?

1803 M. Wilmot Let. 6 Aug. in M. Wilmot & C. Wilmot Russ. Jrnls. (1934) i. 34 We rose with one accord, dress'd, snatch'd a cup of Coffee and got into Mdm R——'s Carriage.

1942 L. V. Berrey & M. Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §94/13 Eat a small or hurried meal,..snatch a bite.

1942 L. V. Berrey & M. Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §251/6 Take a nap,..snatch a wink.

1952 M. Steen Phoenix Rising i. 27 I'm snatching a sandwich at the club.

1977 M. Kenyon Rapist x. 121 He might snatch two hours' sleep..if he swallowed a couple of sleepers.

1941 Argus (Melbourne) Week-end Mag. 15 Nov. 1/4 Snatch your time, resign from the Army, or threaten to leave.

1944 A. Marshall These are my People 158 ‘I suppose you struck some bad bosses in your time?’ ‘If they're bad, I snatch it.’

1962 T. Ronan Deep of Sky 55 What's more, when we pass Silverton I'm snatching my time.

1973 F. Huelin Keep Moving 83 What are yous goin' to do? Snatch it or stay?

1598 W. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost v. ii. 382 It were a fault to snatch wordes from my tongue. View more context for this quotation

1725 E. Fenton in A. Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey I. i. 13 Oh snatch some portion of these acts from fate, Celestial Muse!

1755 S. Johnson Let. 4 Feb. (1992) I. 94 Snatch what time you can from the hall, and the pupils.

1796 S. T. Coleridge Effusion xxxv, in Poems 97 How exquisite the scents Snatch'd from yon bean-field!

1845 G. P. R. James Arrah Neil I. iv. 83 All were anxious to snatch a few hours from the gloomy thoughts that hung over the times.

1871 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest (1876) IV. 116 That a new English host was coming to snatch the victory from the conquerors.

1796 F. Burney Camilla I. ii. x. 316 She snatched her hands from her face.

1855 Ld. Tennyson Brook in Maud & Other Poems 106 But Katie snatch'd her eyes at once from mine.

1519 W. Horman Vulgaria iv. f. 39^v Beware snatche nat thy meate downe to gredelye.

1609 W. Shakespeare Pericles xi. 24 Why do you make vs loue your goodly gyfts, And snatch them straight away? View more context for this quotation

a1677 J. Taylor Contempl. State Man (1684) i. ii. 15 That which Time spares, is often snatcht away by the covetousness of the Thief.

a1770 J. Jortin Serm. (1771) II. xvii. 332 The Devil is here said to snatch the wood away from such persons.

a1822 P. B. Shelley Homer's Hymn to Mercury xxix, in Posthumous Poems (1824) 304 And from the portion..I will snatch my share away.

1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot Trav. into Levant i. 33 They snatch it quickly off of the fire, or stir it.

1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 45 I snatched his Hat off his Head.

a1763 W. King Polit. & Lit. Anecd. (1819) 63 One of Cromwell's soldiers snatched off Sir William Smyth's hat.

1847 S. Austin tr. L. von Ranke Hist. Reformation in Germany (ed. 2) III. 371 Those who were standing near snatched off the wax of the seal.

1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. xlvi. 93 Rather to be taken then snatched away from the face of the earth.

a1616 W. Shakespeare All's Well that ends Well (1623) v. iii. 156 I am a-feard the life of Hellen (Ladie) Was fowly snatcht . View more context for this quotation

1655 T. Fuller Church-hist. Brit. ix. 110 William Bradbridge..was snatcht away with a sudden death.

1694 F. Bragge Pract. Disc. Parables ix. 335 The covetous rich fool, that trusted in his riches,..was suddenly snatched from them to give account of his stewardship.

1752 G. Berkeley Further Thoughts Tar-water in Wks. (1871) III. 501 Several who are snatched away by untimely death.

1781 W. Cowper Retirem. 167 They.., unregretted, are soon snatch'd away From scenes of sorrow into glorious day.

1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. II. iii. vii. 198 Wailing..that a Sovereign Man is snatched away.

1888 J. W. Burgon Lives Twelve Good Men I. Pref. p. xiv He was snatched away while affording..fresh promise of a truly brilliant Professorial career.

1799 W. Cowper Castaway 63 When, snatch'd from all effectual aid, We perish'd, each alone.