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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 51Թ Forms
- b· adjective
- ܲ·bԲ adjective
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of grab1
Origin of grab2
51Թ 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
Eager to join in, she grabbed a sack of carrots instead and sprinted around the kitchen - her own mini version of the challenge.
I managed to grab an hour's sleep in some public toilets and had some power naps lying down on the trail.
Although the Australian was quicker in both the second and third sectors, the Dutchman had done enough to grab pole.
Waerea-Hargreaves, due to retire at the end of the season, capped off the win by grabbing the ball and providing an aerial finish after Hiku had knocked back Lewis' high kick.
“So I put everything down, except my lunchbox because I was starving, but I grabbed the four kids’ hands.”
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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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