An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/schnappen

by Friedrich Kluge

schnappen, vb., ‘to snap, snatch,’ from MidHG. (MidG.) snappen, ‘to snap, chatter.’ The latter, like Du. snappen (E. to snap), is an intensive of MidHG. snaben, ‘to snap, snort’; allied to the root snab contained in Schnabel. — ModHG. schnappen (dial.), ‘to limp,’ MidHG. snappen, ‘to stumble,’ is etymologically distinct from this verb.