Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of various strong dry liquors, such as a strong Dutch gin.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Spirituous liquor of any sort; especially, Holland gin.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun U.S. Holland gin.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun uncountable A type of distilled alcoholic beverage, often with a fruit or peppermint flavoring.
  • noun countable A serving of this beverage.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun any of various strong liquors especially a Dutch spirit distilled from potatoes

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[German Schnaps, mouthful, schnapps, from Low German snaps, from snappen, to snap, from Middle Low German, to snap at.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From German Schnaps.

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Examples

  • With 'schnapps' -- sad dogs! whom 'Hundsfot,' or 'Verflucter,'

    Don Juan George Gordon Byron Byron 1806

  • Naturally looking round for our old friend, the Dutch landlord, found him in a smaller house, his only customer; had expected to have heard that he had fallen a victim to his love for "schnapps," but here he was as blooming as ever, and as much addicted to his national liquor -- certainly gin appeared to have agreed with him.

    Kathay: A Cruise in the China Seas W. Hastings Macaulay

  • There is no doubt, too, that the immoderate drinking of beer tends to weaken instead of strengthen the inhabitants, especially as so many of them drink when they ought to eat, even beginning a day's work by chilling their stomachs with this cold beverage, and necessitating thereby a supplementary draught of "schnapps," thus creating excitement instead of nourishment, and superinducing a second bad habit upon a first.

    Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 15, No. 87, March, 1875 Various

  • On our arrival "schnapps" before the feast had evidently been too much for them, and ere dinner was over they were all -- to use a mild expression -- overcome.

    On the Equator Harry De Windt 1894

  • In the centre of the room stands a small table, upon which are several decanters containing "schnapps," a pile of brown bread sliced, various plates of biscuit and thin flour-cake, butter, and pickled fish.

    The Land of Thor 1848

  • a genuine fire-eater, especially when he had his "schnapps" on board, was cruising under the lee of Grenada, and fell in with a large ship, to which the frigate gave chase.

    Jack in the Forecastle or, Incidents in the Early Life of Hawser Martingale John Sherburne Sleeper

  • "schnapps," then fell to heartily upon the bread and cheese, motioning to the boys to do likewise.

    Boy Scouts in the North Sea The Mystery of a Sub 1909

  • _ "Even the sober Teuton and the rough son of the Bannat could enjoy the few moments that war gives to festivity, and what the next night or morning might bring was not suffered to disturb their sense of" schnapps, "and their supper.

    Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine — Volume 55, No. 340, February, 1844 Various

  • Better yet, ask your trainer to up the walking lunges and Turkish get-ups so you'll think twice next time before you order that peppermint schnapps infused double hot chocolate.

    JJ Virgin: Pick a New Resolution: 12 Strategies to Survive the Holidays Without New Year's Regrets JJ Virgin 2011

  • Better yet, ask your trainer to up the walking lunges and Turkish get-ups so you'll think twice next time before you order that peppermint schnapps infused double hot chocolate.

    JJ Virgin: Pick a New Resolution: 12 Strategies to Survive the Holidays Without New Year's Regrets JJ Virgin 2011

Comments

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  • I love the sound of schnapps - it sounds like a drink for cold crisp weather

    December 30, 2014