snap someone's head off
English
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Verb
editsnap someone's head off (third-person singular simple present snaps someone's head off, present participle snapping someone's head off, simple past and past participle snapped someone's head off)
- (idiomatic) To suddenly and sharply rebuke or insult a person, especially in response to a harmless remark.
- 1915, Kathleen Norris, chapter 5, in The Story of Julia Page:
- "Pa's awfully cranky," Mrs. Cox said resignedly. "He's always been that way! You cook him corn beef hash—that's the night he wanted pork chops; never give someone corn beef hash when he wants pork chops sometimes he'll snap your head off if you speak."
- 1918, Kate Douglas Wiggin, chapter 8, in The Story Of Waitstill Baxter:
- He won't have a pleasant morning, I can tell you! I shall snap his head off every time he speaks to me.