snack

[ snak ]

/ snæk /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR snack ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a small portion of food or drink or a light meal, especially one eaten between regular meals.

a share or portion.

Australian Slang. something easily done.

verb (used without object)

to have a snack or light meal, especially between regular meals: They snacked on tea and cake.

Nearby words

Idioms

go snack/snacks, to share (profits or returns).

Origin of snack

1300–50; (noun) Middle English: a snap or bite, derivative of snacken to snap, bite; compare Middle Dutch snack a snap; (v.) derivative of the noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for snack

Late former governors of NY, TX starred in a 1994 snack chip ad.
Mario Cuomo, Ann Richards Concede to Doritos|The Daily Beast Video|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And the “Pond Pit” snack bar will serve fried tadpole rolls.
Why I Hate The Beach|P. J. O’Rourke|July 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Or the World Series where you can take a snack break during the wind-up for every pitch.
Up To a Point: Oops, I Enjoyed Soccer|P. J. O’Rourke|July 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I snack them in between [checkpoints] with some fish or beef fat, something to give them some quick energy.
Jamaica, We Have a Dogsled Team|Allen St. John|March 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST

If you muttered, “blasphemy” after reading the first tip about skipping a snack, then snack smart.
6 Ways to Avoid ‘Sochi Gut’ While Watching the Olympics|Jenna A. Bell|February 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And most solemnly do I swear, that Miss Howe shall come in for her snack.
Clarissa, Volume 4 (of 9)|Samuel Richardson
That snack of crackers and cheese and cold tongue would strike me about right.
The Outdoor Chums on the Lake|Quincy Allen
They had been laughing over their early morning snack, now Ilya Simonov looked at her approvingly.
Freedom|Dallas McCord Reynolds
I gave him a bit of my snack, and then I got more from Bill Park.
Rick and Ruddy|Howard R. Garis
I ain't had ary bite since noon, an' then 'twas a snack only.
Canoe Mates in Canada|St. George Rathborne

British Dictionary definitions for snack

snack

/ (snæk) /

noun

a light quick meal eaten between or in place of main meals

a sip or bite

rare a share

Australian informal a very easy task

verb

(intr) to eat a snack

Word Origin for snack

C15: probably from Middle Dutch snacken, variant of snappen to snap

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for snack

snack

c.1300, "to bite or snap" (of a dog), probably from Middle Dutch or Flemish snacken "to snatch, snap; chatter," which Watkins traces to a hypothetical Germanic imitative root *snu- forming words having to do with the nose (see snout). The meaning "have a mere bite or morsel, eat a light meal" is first attested 1807. Related: Snacked; snacking.

snack

c.1400, "a snatch or snap" (especially that of a dog), from snack (v.). Later "a snappish remark" (1550s); "a share, portion, part" (1680s; hence old expression go snacks "share, divide; have a share in"). Main modern meaning "a bite or morsel to eat hastily" is attested from 1757. Snack bar is attested from 1923. Commercial plural form snax attested from 1942 in the vending machine trade.

snack

noun

verb (used without object)

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of snack

Examples from the Web for snack

snack

noun

verb

Word Origin for snack

snack

snack