snap your fingers

snap (one's) fingers

1. Literally, to press the tip of one's thumb and middle finger together and then forcefully slide them apart, producing a snapping sound, often used to attract someone's attention. Tommy, please don't snap your fingers like that at me. If you want my attention, just raise your hand, and I'll come over to you when I have a chance.
2. To make a sudden or impromptu decision that one expects others to adhere to or go along with. So what, you're just going to move around the entire country whenever she snaps her fingers? That doesn't sound like a very equal marriage to me.
See also: finger, snap
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

snap (or click) your fingers

make a sharp clicking sound by bending the last joint of the middle finger against the thumb and suddenly releasing it, typically in order to attract attention in a peremptory way or to accompany the beat of music.
See also: finger, snap
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

snap your ˈfingers


1 attract somebody’s attention by making a sound with your thumb and middle finger: Waiters don’t like customers in restaurants who snap their fingers and shout ‘waiter!’
2 show you do not care about somebody/something: He snapped his fingers at the committee and walked angrily out of the room.
See also: finger, snap
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
See also:
References in classic literature ?
"You have been in the regiment next to no time, my lad, you're here today and tomorrow you'll be appointed adjutant somewhere and can snap your fingers when it is said 'There are thieves among the Pavlograd officers!' But it's not all the same to us!
Snap your fingers twice very quickly, and that's how close it was to the Ford's time.
"When feeling is the gauge, snap your fingers at logic" - T S Eliot.
"Alleviate it all; partitioning/ Socially divide; eliminating/ You are stronger than they let you believe/ And smarter than you seem.'' But before anyone starts thinking the band that brought us "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck'' is going soft, rest-assured that the message comes with a thrilling, metal-infused maelstrom of music.
The shoes and the Insole sport a rechargeable battery mounted into the very back of the insole or behind the heel of the shoes, and the charger, which is designed to give audio feedback as to its charging levels when you snap your fingers, has been dubbed as the "world's first interactive charger".
Admit it: You wish music could play when you snap your fingers, or doors would open with a simple wave of your hand -- you probably tried that last trick at least once at your local supermarket.
The chief officer of Meirionnydd CHC Pat Billingham points out that you cannot snap your fingers and expect a new organisation to happen over night.
"This was under-resourced,under-funded, under-manned and ignored for years and that's not going to change overnight." "You can't under-resource the most important part of our war on terror, you can't under-resource that for five or six or seven years -- whether it's under-resourced with troops,whether it's under-resourced with civilian manpower,whether it's under-resourced with economic development funding -- and hope to snap your fingers and have that turn around in just a few months." Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Robert Gates told Bloomberg News he was against increasing the foreign footprint in Afghanistan, and instead favoured an increase in Afghan troops.
''You can't snap your fingers and make this happen.''
SNAP YOUR FINGERS. There you go--you now have access to roughly 1 million acres of prime pheasant hunting land in Kansas.
"You don't just snap your fingers and set it up, though.
"It's not something you can snap your fingers to - it's hard work and you need to make sacrifices.
You can simply snap your fingers or whatever you do when you're all-powerful.
That's when I thought 'Don't snap your fingers at me, lady',' said juror No 5, a retired widow.
The tiny muscles in your hands help you pick up things and snap your fingers.