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grab
1[ grab ]
verb (used with object)
He grabbed me by the collar.
Synonyms: , ,
- to take illegal possession of; seize forcibly or unscrupulously:
to grab land.
- to obtain and consume quickly:
Let's grab a sandwich before going to the movie.
- Slang.
- to cause a reaction in; affect:
How does my idea grab you?
- to arouse the interest or excitement of:
The book was O.K., but it just didn't grab me.
verb (used without object)
- to make a grasping or clutching motion (usually followed by at ):
He grabbed frantically at the life preserver.
- (of brakes, a clutch, etc.) to take hold suddenly or with a jolting motion; catch.
noun
- a sudden, quick grasp or snatch:
to make a grab at something.
- seizure or acquisition by violent or unscrupulous means.
- something that is grabbed.
- a mechanical device for gripping objects.
- the capacity to hold or adhere:
The glue was so old it had lost its grab.
grab
2[ grab ]
noun
- a ship having two or three masts with a square rig, common on the Malabar Coast in the 18th and 19th centuries.
grab
/ ɡæ /
verb
- to seize hold of (something)
- tr to seize illegally or unscrupulously
- tr to arrest; catch
- intr (of a brake or clutch in a vehicle) to grip and release intermittently causing juddering
- informal.tr to catch the attention or interest of; impress
noun
- the act or an instance of grabbing
- a mechanical device for gripping objects, esp the hinged jaws of a mechanical excavator
- something that is grabbed
- up for grabs informal.available to be bought, claimed, or won
Derived Forms
- ˈ, noun
Other Word Forms
- b· adjective
- ܲ·bԲ adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of grab1
Origin of grab2
Word History and Origins
Origin of grab1
Idioms and Phrases
- up for grabs, Informal. available to anyone willing to expend the energy to get it:
The Republican nomination for mayor was up for grabs.
More idioms and phrases containing grab
In addition to the idiom beginning with grab , also see how does that grab you ; up for grabs .Example Sentences
“You cannot be pulled over and grabbed on the street because of the color of your skin. Border Patrol is going to be held accountable for those practices and for violating people’s rights.”
Sardinha had worked as a bartender’s assistant, but a motorcycle accident in 2019 left her unable to grab a knife well enough to chop lemons, as the job required.
Whether you stop by to watch the Ducks, see a concert, grab dinner or simply meet friends for a stroll, the policy is the same.
Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, and Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., both of whom have demonstrated a knack for grabbing media attention and reflecting the Democratic base’s anger in their public pronouncements.
"We just grabbed the lady's handbag but I have discovered there's trauma behind it," he said.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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