An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/schnappen

by Friedrich Kluge

schnappen, verb, ‘to snap, snatch,’ from Middle High German (Middle German) snappen, ‘to snap, chatter.’ The latter, like Dutch snappen (English to snap), is an intensive of Middle High German snaben, ‘to snap, snort’; allied to the root snab contained in Schnabel. — Modern High German schnappen (dialectic), ‘to limp,’ Middle High German snappen, ‘to stumble,’ is etymologically distinct from this verb.