snatchy
Definition
- Adjective (tính từ):
- Intermittent or occurring in fragments: "snatchy" describes something that is broken, disconnected, or not continuous; it often refers to speech, music, or other sounds that come in short, irregular bursts rather than a steady flow.
- Uneven or irregular in rhythm or quality: It can also characterize something that lacks smoothness or consistency, such as a performance, a piece of writing, or a technical process.
Usage Examples
- (The transmission was intermittent and fragmented.)
- (Her breaths were short and irregular.)
- (The performance was uneven, with pauses and gaps.)
Advanced Usage
- "snatchy conversation": a dialogue that is interrupted frequently or consists of brief, disconnected exchanges.
- We had a snatchy conversation between phone calls, never finishing a topic. (The talk was fragmented by interruptions.)
- "snatchy memory": recalling events in bits and pieces rather than as a coherent whole.
- His snatchy memory of the accident left the police with incomplete details. (He remembered only fragments.)
Variants and Related Words
- Snatch (verb/noun): to take something quickly or suddenly; a short, quick piece or fragment.
- He managed to snatch a few hours of sleep. (He took sleep in a brief, interrupted period.)
- Snatchily (adverb): in a snatchy manner.
- The news was reported snatchily, with updates every hour. (It was reported in fragments.)
Synonyms
- Intermittent: occurring at irregular intervals; not continuous.
- Fragmentary: consisting of small, disconnected parts.
- Jerky: moving or happening with sudden starts and stops.
- Disjointed: lacking coherence or smooth connection.
Related Idioms
- By fits and starts: in short, irregular bursts (similar in meaning to "snatchy").
- He worked by fits and starts, never completing a project steadily. (He worked in snatchy intervals.)
- In snatches: in brief, interrupted segments.
- I slept in snatches during the long flight. (My sleep was snatchy and broken.)