snaps

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

Share, portion; any articles or circumstances out of which money may be made; "looking out for SNAPS," waiting for windfalls, or odd jobs.—Old. Scotch, CHITS, term also used for "coppers," or halfpence.

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “snaps” mean?

Share, portion; any articles or circumstances out of which money may be made; "looking out for SNAPS," waiting for windfalls, or odd jobs.—Old. Scotch, CHITS, term also used for "coppers," or halfpence.

Is “snaps” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.