snap cracker (snapkrak"er)

Same as snap jack. snapdragon (snapdragon), n. 1. A plant of the genus Antirrhinum, especially the common garden-flower A. majus and its varieties. It is an herb from to three feet high, bearing showy crim son, purple, white, or variegated flowers in spikes. The name is suggested by the mask-like corolla, whence also numerous provincial names, such as calf - snout or calves's nout, lion's-mouth, rabbit's - mouth, frog's- mouth, etc. The plant is a native of southern Europe. (See cut B under Didynamia.) The small snapdragon is A. Orontium, an inferior plant. A. speciosum, a fine plant from islands off the California coast, has received some notice under the name of Gambel's snapdragon. A. maurandioides is a cultivated vine, better known as Maurandia. Various species of Linaria, especially L. vulgar is, the common toad-flax, have been so named; also several other plants with personate flowers. 2. A sport in which raisins or grapes are snapped from burning brandy and eaten. The wantonne of the thing was to see each other look like a demon, as we burnt ourselves, and snatched out the fruit. This fantastical mirth was called snap-dragon. Steele, Tatler, No. 85. 3. A gla -makers' tongs. Jamaica snapdragon. See Ruellia. Snapdragon, 3. snape (snap), v.t.; pret. and pp. snaped, ppr. snaping. [Origin obscure.] In ship- building, to bevel the end of (a timber or plank) so that it will fit accurately upon an inclined surface.