英语解释: “snap” 的不同意思和用法
Source: Zhihu
(prepared by: alexcwlin; edited by: Adam Lam)

Question:
在这帖子, 我提及用 “snap”这个字:
“The branch snapped back and hit me in the face.”
树枝突然弹回来打在我的脸上

一个读者写道:
Snap is an interesting word. I just can’t memorize and learn it through vocabulary book. It has so many meanings and they vary a lot...[捂脸]

alexcwlin comments:
这就是我长期反对学英文念单词的原因。
记单词意思就要整句记。
这是我从我的句典找出来跟 “snap” 有关的句子：

1.     在(错过)¹({球道在第一发球}^2a/{接近的轻推入洞}^2b)那(高尔夫球手)³({在极度失望下}^4a/{愤怒下}^4b)把(球杆)⁵在他的(膝盖)⁶上(拗断)⁷: Upon missing¹ ({the fairway on the first tee shot}^2a/{a close putt}^2b), the golfer³ snapped⁷ the club⁵ over his knee⁶ ({in frustration}^4a/{in anger}^4b).

2.     她说: “除非你能够(穿着)¹(棒/ditto)²否则不要带我去(毕业舞会)³”: She said: “Don’t take me to the prom³ unless you can dress¹ (snazzy [口]/sharp [口]/ snappy [口]/snazzily/sharply/ snappily)²”.

3.     这(前锋)¹(中断)²他(差劲的一段时期)³在(上一场比赛)⁴(射入三球)⁵: The striker¹ (snapped out of)² his slump³ and (scored three goals)⁵ in (the last game)⁴.

4.     (侍应生)¹说: “你的(汉堡包)² (很快)³(准备好)⁴.” 他回答道: “使它(干脆点儿/爽快点儿)⁵! (我正在很匆忙)⁶”: The server¹ said: “Your hamburger² will be ready⁴ (in a jiffy)³.” He replied: “Make it (snappy/quick)⁵! (I’m in a hurry)⁶.”

5.     一个(工人)¹对(主管)²说: “(工头)³, 另一个问题(刚突然爆发)⁴.” 主管(愤然大怒/ditto)⁵说: “(这里任何人不能够把事做得妥当吗)⁶? (如果不是一件事做错便是另一件)⁷, (这次是什么呢)⁸?”: A worker¹ said to the supervisor²: “Boss³, another problem (just popped up)⁴.” The supervisor (blew up/ snapped)⁵ and said: “(Can’t anybody do anything right around here)⁶? (If it’s not one thing, it’s another)⁷. (What is it this time)⁸?”

6.     (管理层代表)¹说: “(我肯定)²你跟我在(代表资劳)³都想要(给业务最好的)⁴.” ( 工会头儿)⁵(愤怒地反驳说)⁶: “不要(代表我说)⁷, 我(绝对有能力)⁸({表达我自己}^9a/{替我自己说话}^9b)”: The (management representative)¹ said: “(I’m sure)² both you and I in (representing management and union)³ want (the best for the business)⁴.” The (union boss)⁵ (snapped back)⁶: “Don’t (speak for me)⁷. I’m (perfectly capable of)⁸ ({expressing myself}^9a/{speaking for myself}^9b)”.

7.     我们(昨晚的败仗)¹(中断)²(五场连胜纪录)³: Our (loss last night)¹ snapped² a (five-game winning streak)³.

8.     那({雍容华贵}^1a/{外表齐整/ditto}^1b/{衣着时髦}^1c)的太太跟(邋遢样子)²的丈夫(成一个强烈的反对比)³: The ({well-polished}^1a/ {well-groomed/ sharp-looking}^1b/{snappy}^1c) wife (stands in sharp contrast)³ to the (grubby looking)² husband.

9.     女人(狼藉闻名)¹是({购买}^2a/ {抢购}^2b)(不必要)³(减价物品/ditto)⁴的(冲动/ditto)⁵(购物者)⁶: Women are notorious¹ as (impulsive/spur-of-the-moment)⁵ shoppers⁶ who ({purchase}^2a/{snap up}^2b) unneeded³ (for-sale items/items that are on sale)⁴.

10.  这一所旧屋子从(暖气炉的轻弹)¹, (热水管的轻鼓)², (屋顶的细碎爆裂)³, 和(壁炉火焰的劈啪)⁴(做出鬼魅悚然的声音)⁵: This old house (makes spooky noises)⁵ from (furnace thrumming)¹, (hot-water pipe tapping)², (roof crackling)³, and (fireplace-flame snapping)⁴.

11.  (似乎)¹(球员)²对(球赛后)³({用湿毛巾噼啪那个打斗}^4a/{胡闹}^4b)比较(球赛本身)⁵(更有兴致)⁶: It seems¹ the players² (had more spirit)⁶ ({in the wet-towel snapping fight}^4a/{in the horseplay}^4b) (after the game)³ than (the game itself)⁵[讽].

12.  他是个(言语讽刺)¹的孩子如果(他被你取笑)²他一定(回应)³个({敏捷}^4a/{极好}^4b/{机智风趣}^4c)的(巧妙回应句子)⁵: He’s a sharp-tongued¹ kid that always (comes up with)³ a ({snappy}^4a/{good}^4b/ {witty}^4c) (comeback line)⁵ if (you tease him)².

13.  她(稍稍地)¹对他说: “(你做得好/ditto)², 你对他({不顾他人感受}^3a/{傲慢}^3b)(自夸)⁴的(快速)⁵和(机警风趣)⁶(回应)⁷ (确实)⁸ (使他知道他太过分了)⁹ .”: She said to him quietly¹: “(Good for you/Hurrah for you/Bravo/Way to go/Great job/Well done)²! Your snappy⁵ and witty⁶ come-back⁷ to his ({insensitive}^3a/{arrogant}^3b) bragging⁴ really⁸ (put him in his place)⁹.”

14.  她的(手指)¹被(摩托)²({绞伤}^3a/{折断}^3b): Her finger¹ was ({wrung}^3a/{snapped}^3b) by the motor².

15.  他说他不知道(什么使他不能自已)²当他(失控地大怒)³(一拳打)⁴他(不停地取笑)⁵那(朋友)⁶: He said he didn’t know (what came over him)² as he snapped³ and punched⁴ the friend⁶ that (kept teasing him)⁵.

16.  他时常(对每一件事情都有答案)¹, 但通常那是(没有很多考虑的)²({信口开河/顺口开河}^3a/{不假思索}^3b)(回应)⁴: He always (has an answer for everything)¹, but often that’s a ({snappy/hasty}^3a/{offhand}^3b) response⁴ (without much thought)².

17.  他说: “(马上去/ditto)¹拿一杯咖啡给(老板)².”: He said: “Get the boss² a cup of coffee (and make it snappy/on the double)¹.”

18.  (他对她激烈批评)¹后(她愤怒地回骂)²: (She snapped back at him)² after (he gave her a piece of his mind)¹.

19.  他说: “这个女孩子(一定是)¹ (受毒品或同类的影响)²因为(一整天)³她(变得)⁴(茫然/ditto)⁵直至有人叫她(醒过来)⁶.”: He said: “This girl (must be)¹ (on drugs or something)², because (all day long)³ she gets⁴ (self-absorbed in her own la-la land/spaced-out/dazed)⁵ until someone tells her to (snap out of it)⁶.”

20.  他说: “你需要(找一个方法)¹把你自己从({恶劣}^2a/{闷闷不乐}^2b/{不愉快}^2c)的(情绪)³(猛地拉出来)⁴.”: He said: “You need to (find a way)¹ to (snap yourself out of)⁴ your ({bad}^2a/{somber}^2b/ {miserable}^2c) mood³.”

21.  一个(民意调查)¹是(于某时间的快照)²能够(一刹那/ditto)³ (下跌)⁴(像上升般那么迅速)⁵: A poll¹ is (a snapshot in time)² and can (go down)⁴ (as quickly as it goes up)⁵ (in the blink of an eye/in a flash/in nothing flat)³.

22.  那(飓风)¹(啪一声折断)²(树木)³和(电缆竿子)⁴像({牙签}^5a/{火柴杆子}^5b)般: The hurricane¹ (snapped off)² trees³ and (power line poles)⁴ like ({toothpicks}^5a/{matchsticks  }^5b).

23.  (音乐老师)¹对(孩子)²说: “我要你们(劈啪着手指)³(轻拍着脚)⁴并({哼着}^5a/{吟诵}^5b)着(“疯狂鸭子”)⁶的(调子)⁷: The (music teacher)¹ said to the  children²: “I want you to (snap your fingers)³ and (tap your feet)⁴, and ({hum}^5a/{chant }^5b) to the tune⁷ of (“Crazy Duck”)⁶.”

24.  他说: “(不要动/ditto)¹! (让我拍几张你的照片)².”: He said: “(Hold still/Don’t move)¹! (Let me snap a few pictures of you)².”

25.  他说: “(我们的球队)¹(意志)²和(体能)³上是那么(优秀于别人)⁴这(竞争)⁵中(胜利)⁶是(轻而易举的事/ditto)⁷.”: He said: “(Our team)¹ is so superior⁴ mentally² and physically³ that victory⁶ in this competition⁵ is (a virtual certainty/a snap/a cakewalk/a cinch/a breeze/like taking candy from a baby)⁷.”

26.  这个(性变态者¹因用(隐藏的鞋子摄影机)²(摄取/ditto)³(没有警惕/ditto)⁴女孩子(裙底风光)⁵(镜头)⁶被(逮捕/ditto)⁷: This pervert¹ was (nabbed/ caught)⁷ for (taking/snapping/ photographing)³ upskirt⁵ shots⁶ at (unwary/unsuspecting)⁴ girls using a (hidden shoe camera)².

27.  他(折断)¹他的(腿部韧带)²后他的(职业足球生涯)³(得到悲惨收场)⁴: His (professional football career)³ (came to a tragic end)⁴ after he snapped¹ his (leg ligament)².

28.  在美国(做生意成功)¹并非({如众所皆知般容易}^2a/{容易的事/ditto}^2b): (Doing business successfully)¹ in U.S. is far from ({the proverbial cakewalk}^2a/{a cinch/a snap/a breeze/a walk in the park/a piece of cake/a slam-dunk/kid’s stuff/duck soup}^2b).

29.  当他({把手指弄出噼啪声}^1a/ {摇动食指}^1b)(示意/ditto)²那(女服务员)³(走过他处)⁴时把她(触怒)⁵: The waitress³ was offended⁵ when he ({snapped his fingers}^1a/{wagged his index finger}^1b) (beckoning/ gesturing)² her (to come to him)⁴.

30.  他说: “那(任务)¹很(轻松/ditto)², 但(收钱)³是(困难的部分)⁴.”: He said: “The job¹ is (easy/a cinch/a snap)² but (getting paid)³ is (the hard part)⁴.”

31.  (道琼斯)¹(从当天最低点)²(反弹/ditto)³: Dow¹ (rebounded/ snapped back)³ (from the  intraday low)².

32.  (至今)¹我们({享受}^2a/{经历}^2b)一个(温和的春天)³但(天气预测员)⁴({预料}^5a/{提议有可能}^5b)这个周末会({骤寒}^6a/{寒冷期}^6b)(气温)⁷会(急降)⁸到(低于结冰度数)⁹: We have been ({enjoying}^2a/ {experiencing}^2b) a (mild spring)³ (so far)¹, but the weatherman⁴ is ({predicting}^5a /{calling for}^5b) a ({cold snap}^6a/{cold spell}^6b) this weekend with temperature⁷ (plunging down)⁸ to (below freezing)⁹.

33.  (商场上的兀鹰)¹对有(机会)²以(贱价)³(迅速购买)⁴(遇难公司)⁵的(丰利资产)⁶(垂涎欲得/ditto)⁷: The (corporate vultures)¹ are (smacking their chops/licking their chops/ wagging their tongues)⁷ at the opportunity² to (snap up)⁴ (lucrative assets)⁶ of the (troubled company)⁵ at (basement prices)³.

34.  他是个(不经考虑)¹便(仓促下主意/ditto)²的(急躁之人)³: He is a hothead³ that (rushes into decisions/makes snap decisions/make snappy decisions)² (without thinking)¹.

35.  他还有(相当大量)¹(收集)²他(儿子)³(婴孩)⁴时的({数码}^5a/ {胶卷}^5b)({照片/ditto}^6a/{快照}^6b): He has a good¹ collection² of ({digital}^5a/ {analog}^5b) ({photos/ photographs}^6a/{snapshots}^6b) of his son³ when he was a baby⁴.

36.  他说: “(对不起)¹, (我的用意不是)²(顶撞你/ditto)³.”: He said: “Sorry¹! (I don’t mean to)² (snap at you/snap back at you)³.”

你不可能全部记得这些句子的用法和解释，最好就是有资料在手上可以马上查到。

希望有一天把整套句典传授给你们就可以功德完满了。