From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsnatch at something phrasal verbTAKE something FROM SOMEWHEREto quickly put out your hand to try to take or hold something Jessie snatched at the bag but I pulled it away. → snatch→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
snatch at • You snatched at it and gobbled it down, before some one else did.• The receiver was snatched at the first ring and Massingham's disciplined impatience came across as strongly as his voice.• He snatched at the glove she held ... Then, suddenly, there was the Rumanian countess.• She snatched at the memory but it was too obscure.• The flames grew larger, snatching at the old manuscripts in bursts of fire.• She snatched at the phone and pressed the buttons of her aunt's number, but there was no reply.• The phone rang again and I snatched at the receiver this time.• Unseen thorns begin to snatch at your clothes and rip your skin. 