| English term or phrase: to have a snap | I am translating an Ellen La Motte book "The Backwash of War" about WWI atrocities witnessed by a nurse of a field hospital. Here is the part with the phrase I am interested in (in capitals):
Long, long ago, before any one thought of war—oh, long ago, that is, about six years—Fouquet had known a deputy. Also his father had known the deputy. And so, when it came time for his military service, he had done it as infirmier. As nurse, not soldier. He had done stretcher drill, with empty stretchers. He had swept wards, empty of patients. He had done his two years military service, practising on empty beds, on empty stretchers. HE HAD HAD A SNAP, because of the deputy. Then came the war, AND STILL HE HAD A SNAP, although now the beds and the wards were all full. Still, there was no danger, no front line trenches, for he was mobilized as infirmier, as nurse in a military hospital. He stood six feet tall, which is big for a Frenchman, and he was big in proportion, and he was twenty-five years old, and ruddy and strong. Yet he was obliged to wait upon a little screaming man, five feet two, whose nose had been shot away, exchanged for the Médaille Militaire upon his breast, who screamed out to him: “Bring me the basin, embusqué!” And he had brought it.
---
So can "he had a snap" have the same meaning as "he snapped" (lost his temper, his composure)?
Earlier in the book, we are told that this man went out of the hospital and got really drunk because of his moods, so this can be considered a "snap". But it is this exact phrasing that bothers me. "And STILL he had a snap" suggests some other meaning, but I don't see which one.
Thank you. |
| Daniil LebedevKudoZ activityQuestions: 39 (none open) ( 1 without valid answers) ( 2 closed without grading) Answers: 60
| | Local time: 14:55
|
|
| have an easy job | Explanation:
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/snap
because of the deputy's influence he had had an easy military service, NOT sent to the front lines but as an infirmier in empty wards.
Even though the wards are now full, it is STILL an easy job, compared to being in the trenches.
But he is bored, so goes through the gap in the hedge to go drinking and perfers to be "punished" by marching iup and down in the open air, than do his work in the smelly ward.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 31 mins (2023-01-05 13:45:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/26884/26884-h/26884-h.htm
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 36 mins (2023-01-05 13:50:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
typo (he) prefers
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/snap
US informal
something that can be done without any difficulty:
"Will you finish on time?" "Sure thing. It's a snap."
Talking to girls is a snap for him.
|
| Selected response from:
Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 08:55
|
peer agreement (net): -4
