Vocabulary quesion no. 20 - from "The Longest Day" - snap it up, jerk the lead

Question

Hi everyone,I've been into good old black and white movies from the 60s recently and one of the coolest one is The Longest Day which tells the story of D-Day. In one of the initial scenes of the movie a cook is distributing food to American soldiers and he says:Snap it up, jerk the lead. Snap it up, jerk the lead.He's repeats it over and over again. What does it mean?Thanks!

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Perfect StrangerSnap it up, jerk the lead. Snap it up, jerk the lead.

Hurry up! Be quick!

Perfect Stranger · Answer

Thanks MM.

Are these two expressions still used in English? On a different note I can't imagine why jerk the lead means be quick.

Mister Micawber · Answer

Perfect StrangerAre these two expressions still used in English?

'Snap it up!' is—it is brusk or rude, though, as is the other, which comes (I presume) from the longer "Get the lead (= heavy weight) out of your boots!'

Anonymous · Answer

i may be wrong
but I hear it as SHAKE the lead - that is to say - shake (=get rid of) the lead (=heaviness... lead is a metal)
this is my version though ))

Vocabulary quesion no. 20 - from "The Longest Day" - snap it up, jerk the lead

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