grab

/græb/

Thân thiện

He made a grab for the ball before it landed.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • The act of seizing something suddenly with the hand: A quick, often forceful, attempt to take hold of an object.
   • A mechanical device for gripping: A mechanical part, like a bucket on a crane, designed to seize and hold materials.

2. Verb:

   • To seize suddenly or quickly: To take hold of something abruptly, often with the hand.
   • To capture attention or imagination: To attract and hold someone's interest in a powerful or compelling way.
   • To obtain something unscrupulously or forcefully: To take something, such as power or an opportunity, in a selfish or illegal manner.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • He made a grab for the falling book but missed.
  • The crane's grab lifted the scrap metal effortlessly.

• Verb:

  • She grabbed her coat and ran out the door.
  • The headline grabbed my attention immediately.
  • The dictator grabbed power in a military coup.

Advanced Usage

• "to have/get a grab on something": to gain understanding or control over something.
  • After studying for weeks, I finally got a grab on the complex theory.
• "up for grabs": available for anyone to take or win.
  • The championship title is still up for grabs.

Variants and Related Words

• Grabber (n): Something that grabs attention.
  • The advertisement's opening line was a real grabber.
• Grabby (adj): Tending to grab; greedy.
  • The grabby toddler wanted all the toys.

Synonyms

• Verb: Seize, snatch, clutch, grasp, capture.
• Noun: Snatch, catch, grasp, seizure.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Grab at: To make a sudden attempt to seize something.
  • He grabbed at the rope as he fell.
• Grab onto: To take hold of something firmly.
  • Grab onto the railing for support.*

Related Idioms

• Grab a bite: To get something to eat quickly.
  • Let's grab a bite before the movie.
• Grab the bull by the horns: To confront a problem directly and with courage.
  • It's time to grab the bull by the horns and address the issue.

Học thuật

Noun

1. the act of catching an object with the hands
   • Mays made the catch with his back to the plate
   • he made a grab for the ball before it landed
   • Martin's snatch at the bridle failed and the horse raced away
   • the infielder's snap and throw was a single motion
2. a mechanical device for gripping an object

Verb

1. capture the attention or imagination of
   • This story will grab you
   • The movie seized my imagination
2. take or grasp suddenly
   • She grabbed the child's hand and ran out of the room
3. obtain illegally or unscrupulously
   • Grab power
4. make a grasping or snatching motion with the hand
   • The passenger grabbed for the oxygen mask
5. get hold of or seize quickly and easily
   • I snapped up all the good buys during the garage sale
6. take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of
   • Catch the ball!
   • Grab the elevator door!

Từ đồng nghĩa

• catch
• snatch
• snap
• seize
• snap up
• snaffle
• take hold of