snap up
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.21 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
1
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To buy or acquire quickly, usually because the item is a bargain or in short supply or something one has been searching for.
Colloquial; Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "I dashed into the mall; bought a gift; raced to the card store, snapped up a two-fer gift-bag special and was back in my car in 26 minutes. I could medal in power shopping."
- "Spanish businesses have spent nearly $60 billion snapping up British firms, culminating in the recent purchase of Scottish Power by Iberdrola, a Spanish utility."
- "[H]e saw Jonathan a horse-back, and, asking him how he did, Jonathan d—d him, and bid him not trouble him with impertinent questions; therefore the tradesman desired to know the reason why Jonathan snapped him up in that rude angry manner, when he had spoken to him so civilly."
- "'Sir, I know what to do,' retorted Mrs Pipchin, 'and of course shall do it. Susan Nipper,' snapping her up particularly short, 'a month's warning from this hour.' 'Oh indeed!' cried Susan, loftily. 'Yes,' returned Mrs Pipchin, 'and don't smile at me, you minx, or I'll know the reason why! Go along with you this minute!'"