snap back

snap back

1. To return to a normal state, condition, or position very quickly or abruptly. The seat snaps back into place when you release this switch. Doctors were surprised with how quickly my mom snapped back after her surgery.
2. To cause someone or something to return to a normal state, condition, or position very quickly or abruptly. A noun or pronoun can be used between "snap" and "back." Make sure to snap back your tray table before we begin our descent. The alarm snapped me back to consciousness.
3. To move or jerk backward very quickly, abruptly, or violently. Usually said of one's head or neck. Her head snapped back and hit the wall as she pulled away from me.
4. To move or jerk backward very quickly, abruptly, or violently. Usually said of one's head or neck. A noun or pronoun can be used between "snap" and "back." The impact snapped his neck back, and I thought for a second that he was dead.
5. To respond (to someone) in a caustic, irritable manner. All I did was ask a simple question, no need to snap back at me like that! "No, I don't want any of your crummy pasta," she snapped back.
See also: back, snap
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

snap something back

to cause something to jerk back. The force of the crash snapped his head back and injured his neck. The crash snapped back his head.
See also: back, snap

snap back (on someone or something)

[for something] to be jerked back onto someone or something. The branch snapped back on Tim and left a welt on his arm. The whip snapped back and stung Tex's hand.
See also: back, snap

snap back

(at someone) to give a sharp or angry response to someone. The telephone operator, unlike in the good old days, snapped back at the caller. Please don't snap back. I've had a bad day.
See also: back, snap
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

snap back

Rebound from a setback, recover quickly, as in I think we'll snap back quickly from this business downturn. This idiom transfers the sudden release of tension on, for example, a branch to other kinds of recovery. [First half of 1900s]
See also: back, snap
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

snap back

v.
1. To recover quickly: The patient snapped back quickly after surgery.
2. To utter a sharp retort: I asked a simple question, but the clerk snapped back with a mean remark.
See also: back, snap
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • barrel in
  • barrel in(to)
  • abortive action
  • backpedal
  • up and
  • up and (do something)
  • up and did
  • up and leave, go, etc.
  • snap out of (something)
  • snap out of it
References in periodicals archive
But it's hard to "snap back" when you're trapped in a diplomatic La Brea Tar Pit.
The Iran deal's dangerous precedent
The agreement provides for "snap back" sanctions, which essentially lifts the suspension of sanctions in the event of an Iranian violation.
Iran will cheat. Then what?
FANCYING a ginger snap back in his room after a busy day, Robin Cook rang room service for tea and biscuits.
The Whip
But to their surprise, the ions snap back into their original crystalline places when the pressure in the cell falls below 500 atmospheres.
Glass shows 'memory' under severe pressure
With Powell and Williams on tap later from the Fed and stocks set to open sharply lower, there remains some room for the elastic to snap back on yields.
Treasury Action: yields plunged on the weak headline jobs gain
He explained to reporters last week that both sides will be able to snap back if either side violates the agreement.
Araqchi paints talks with USA as between equals
It's resuscitating their polymers that puts the snap back, Bourne says.
Canned produce: mush no more
He notes the company's ecommerce growth rate "surprisingly slowed" to 23% versus the 40% target for 2018 while management gave indications on the call that it will not snap back to 40% in Q1.
Walmart shares could hit $87 with no bounce back, says JPMorgan
For reasons yet to be determined, the protons in the lipoproteins of people with cancer were held more "loosely" -- they took a longer time to snap back into alignment than those of the other groups.
Blood change linked to cancer
Treasury Action: long yields rebounded to highs with the snap back rally on stocks into their 10% correction.
Treasury Action: long yields rebounded to highs
Vis Tape is manufactured with low elongation properties to reduce snap backs, providing a safer alternative to pull ropes.
Vis Tape
Talking about changes in the natural world, Sir David said: "Snap backs take place over a period which is much longer than the human lifespan.
Attenborough calls for urgent action