snaphance, snaphaunce Now Hist.
(ˈsnæphɑːns, -æ-)
Forms: α. 6–7 snaphanse, 6–7, 9 snaphance (6 snapp-), 7 snaphanch; 6–7, 9 snap-hance; 7 snap hance, hans. β. 6–7 snap-haunse, 6–7, 9 snaphaunce; 7 snap-haunce, 7, 9 -haunch; 6 snap haunce.
[Of Continental origin, repr. Du. and Flem. snaphaan (in Kilian snap-haen), MLG. snaphân, LG. snapphân, G. schnapphahn († -han), f. snappen, schnappen snap v. + haan, hahn cock. It is not quite clear whether the sense is ‘snapping cock’ or ‘cock-snapper’ (i.e. cock-stealer). In English the second element may have been confused with the personal name Hans; but Heyne (in Grimm's Dict.) cites an early example of G. schnaphons.]
† 1. An armed robber or marauder; a freebooter or highwayman; a desperate fellow or thief. Obs.
| α 1538 Tonstall Serm. Palm Sunday (1539) D viij b, To make this realme a praye to al venturers, al spoylers, al snaphanses, all forlornehopes. 1541 Paynell Catiline xxiii. 43 Thynkynge..that huge routes of snaphances and hopelostes, from all partes of Italy wolde resorte to hym. 1577–87 Holinshed Chron. II. 684 He therefore required the prince to rid the realme of those snaphances. |
| β 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Mark v. 37 Euen as thoughe a sorte of snaphaunses set all on mischiefe..would make this peticion. 1609 R. Armin Maids More-Cl. (1880) 73 He that shall marry thee, is a matcht y'faith, To English rash, or to a Dutch snap-haunce. |
2. An early form of flint-lock used in muskets and pistols (
cf. 3); also, the hammer of this.
Freq. contrasted with
firelock (
= wheel-lock), but the distinction is not always observed.
| α 1588 in Norfolk Archæol. (1847) I. 16 To Henry Radoe, smyth, for making one of the old pistolls with a snapphance. 1594 Lyly Mother Bombie ii. i, These old huddles haue such strong purses with locks, when they shut them they go off like a snaphance. 1603 Florio Montaigne i. xlviii. 157 A pistoll to which belong so many severall partes, as powder, stone, locke, snap-hanse [etc.]. 1660 Act 12 Chas. II, c. iv, Daggs with fire lockes or Snaphances. 1680 Harford tr. Gaya in Eng. Milit. Discipl. 22 Upon which, when one intends to fire, he puts down the Snaphaunce, which in stead of a Flint, ought to be provided with a true Mine-stone. |
| β 1594 Barwick Disc. Weapons 22 A Harquebuze with a snaphaunce. 1607 Markham Caval. ii. (1617) 120 A pistoll which goes with a Snaphaunce. 1642 Sir E. Harwood Advice D j, Whether their Peeces to bee with Fire⁓locks or Snaphaunces, is questionable. |
† b. transf. A spring catch or fastening.
Obs.| 1603 Dekker Wonderful Year Wks. (Grosart) I. 138 A leatherne pouch..that opened and shut with a Snap-hance. a 1613 Overbury A Wife, etc. (1638) 194 His heart goes with the same snaphance his purse doth. 1633 T. Adams Exp. 2 Peter i. 4 In a countryman's budget, shut up with Snaphance? |
¶ c. A spring trap.
Obs.| 1823 Scott Quentin D. v, There are such traps and snap⁓haunches as may cost you a limb. |
3. A musket, gun, etc., fitted with a lock of this kind, in use in the 16–17th centuries. Now
Hist. So
Du. and
Flem. snaphaan, G.
† schnapphahnrohr.
| α 1590 Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons 47 [Not] to strike iust vpon the wheeles being firelockes, or vpon the hammers or steeles, if they be Snap-hances. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia iii. xii. 93 Three hundred Muskets, Snaphances, and Firelockes. 1651 in H. Cary Mem. Civ. War (1832) II. 289 We have left us in store but..two thousand and thirty muskets, whereof thirty snaphancies. 1860 Motley Netherl. vi. I. 316 [He] had borne a snap-hance on his shoulder as a volunteer. 1882 Standard 10 Feb. 5/3 The seafaring man with his snap-hance, his flint lock, or his steel lance was upon them. |
| β c 1580 J. Hooker Life Sir P. Carew in Archaeol. XXVIII. 139 Sir Peter..hade with hyme a case of excellente snaphaunses. 1591 Garrard's Art Warre 129 If the horse men use firelocke peeces, or snap haunces. 1655 Markham Hunger's Prevention 44 Tis better it be a fier locke or Snaphaunce then a cocke and tricker. 1656 Blount Glossogr., Snaphaunse, a fire-lock, or Gun that strikes fire without the use of a match. 1821 Scott Nigel xxvii, ‘Let me see those pistols.’ ‘Ye are not so unwise as to meddle with such snap-haunches?’ 1840 Gresley Siege of Lichfield 287 The snaphaunce differed from the modern fire⁓lock, in the hammer not forming the covering for the pan. |
| fig. 1608 J. Day Law Trickes v. i, A parlous Girle; her wits a meere Snaphaunce, Goes with a fire locke. |
† b. A soldier armed with this form of gun.
| 1645 N. Drake 2nd Siege of Pontefract (Surtees) 47 Capt. Joshua Walker with..about 20 snaphanches went out through the howses. |
† 4. fig. Ready answer or argument.
Obs.—1| 1598 Marston Sco. Villanie i. iv. 190 And old crabb'd Scotus..Pay'th me with snaphaunce, quick distinction. |
† 5. A woman of low character.
Obs.—1| a 1625 Fletcher Women Pleased iii. ii, 'Faith wholsome women will but spoil ye too, For you are so us'd to snap⁓haunces. |
6. Attrib., as
snaphance bag,
snaphance hate,
snaphance lock,
snaphance musket,
snaphance pistol,
snaphance satirist.
| 1592 Nashe P. Penilesse Wks. (Grosart) II. 77 It is your dooing..that these stal-fed cormorants..must bung vp all the welth of the Land in their snap-haunce bags. 1598 E. Guilpin Skial. (1878) 65 The sharp tart veriuice of his snap⁓haunce hate. 1598 Marston Pygmal. Sat. ii. Wks. 1856 III. 217, I, that even now lisp'd like an amorist, Am turn'd into a snaphaunce Satyrist. 1643 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. IV. 67 The hundred Snaphance muskets and..other small things. 1688 Holme Armoury iii. xviii. (Roxb.) 135/1 A snaphaunch Lock is the generall name for all fire Locks. 1898 Proc. Soc. Antiquaries Mar. 107 The President exhibited a snaphaunce pistol of the year 1619. |