grab
pronunciation
How to pronounce grab in British English:
UK [ɡræb]
How to pronounce grab in American English:
US [ɡræb]
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- Noun:
- a mechanical device for gripping an object
- the act of catching an object with the hands
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- Verb:
- take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of
- get hold of or seize quickly and easily
- make a grasping or snatching motion with the hand
- obtain illegally or unscrupulously
- take or grasp suddenly
- capture the attention or imagination of
Word Origin
- grab
- grab: [16] Grab is a Germanic word. It was probably borrowed from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German grabben. These were descendants of a prehistoric Germanic *grab-, which could well have been related to the *graip-, *grip- which produced grip, gripe, and grope.=> grip, gripe, grope
- grab (v.)
- "seize forcibly or roughly," 1580s, from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German grabben "to grab," from Proto-Germanic *grab-, *grap- (cognates: Old English græppian "to seize," Old Saxon garva, Old High German garba "sheaf," literally "that which is gathered up together"), from PIE *ghrebh- (1) "to seize, reach" (cognates: Sanskrit grbhnati "seizes," Old Persian grab- "seize" as possession or prisoner, Old Church Slavonic grabiti "to seize, rob," Lithuanian grebiu "to rake"). Sense of "to get by unscrupulous methods" was reinforced by grab game, a kind of swindle, attested from 1846. Related: Grabbed; grabbing.
- grab (n.)
- 1777, "thing grabbed;" 1824, "act of grabbing, a sudden grasp or seizing" from grab (v.). Up for grabs attested from 1945 in jive talk.
Example
- 1. Given such impunity , why not grab more land ?
- 2. Will charles be there and quickly grab her arm ?
- 3. Do not grab small trees or brush .
- 4. The guards responded by trying to grab or punch a small video camera bale was carrying .
- 5. Rivals are straining to grab zynga 's players .