From Middle Dutch grabben or Middle Low German grabben (“to grasp, grab, seize, snatch”), from Old Saxon gravan, from Proto-West Germanic *grabbōn, a secondary form of Proto-Germanic *grabōną (“to gather, rake”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrebʰ- (“to gather, rake, grab, seize”). Related to archaic German grappen (“to grab”), Danish grabbe (“to grab”), Swedish grabba (“to grab”), Old Norse grápa (“to seize, appropriate”), Middle English grappen (“to feel, grope, grasp, clutch”), Old English ġegræppian (“to seize”). Related also to Sanskrit गृह्णाति (gṛhṇā́ti), गृभ्णाति (gṛbhṇā́ti, “he seizes”), Avestan 𐬔𐬭𐬀𐬠 (grab, “to seize”)), Macedonian грабне (grabne, “to snatch”), Bulgarian грабя (grabja, “to rob, to grab”).
I grabbed her hand to pull her back from the cliff edge.
Old Applegate, in the stern, just set and looked at me, and Lord James, amidship, waved both arms and kept hollering for help. I took a couple of everlasting big strokes and managed to grab hold of the skiff's rail, close to the stern.1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
2
To make a sudden grasping or clutching motion (at something).
The suspect suddenly broke free and grabbed at the policeman's gun.
Stop grabbing or I won't give you any cookies.
3
To restrain someone; to arrest.
4
To grip the attention of; to enthrall or interest.
How does that idea grab you?
Baby, instant soup doesn't really grab me Today I need something more substantial1992, “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite”, in Automatic for the People, performed by R.E.M.:
"I'll just grab my jacket," said Manh-Hung.1987, James Grady, Just a Shot Away, Bantam, page 117:
2 more examples
Hardly believing that Rafe actually planned to relax for a while, Kate nodded. "All right. Fine. I'll just go grab my purse."1999, Jillian Dagg, Racing Hearts, Thomas Bouregy & Co., page 105:
He looked at Albert and Ben, and then back to Nurse Allen. "I'll just grab my gear and be right back."2009, Mike Taylor, A Thousand Sleeps,, Tate Publishing, page 216:
We'll just grab a sandwich and then we'll be on our way.
Is there time to grab a coffee?
7
To take the opportunity of.
Both teams wasted good opportunities to score but it was the London side who did grab what proved to be the decisive third when the unmarked Vaz Te, a January signing from Barnsley, drilled the ball into the net from 12 yards.2012 May 19, Paul Fletcher, “Blackpool 1-2 West Ham”, in BBC Sport:
Grab
noun
/ɡɹæb/
Etymology From Grab, a Singaporean company which provides taxi rides and food deliveries, and provides a system of electronic payments; the company name is from the word grab.
I will take a Grab back home. ("I will book a taxi ride from Grab to return home.")
grab
noun
Etymology
From Middle Dutch grabben or Middle Low German grabben (“to grasp, grab, seize, snatch”), from Old Saxon gravan, from Proto-West Germanic *grabbōn, a secondary form of Proto-Germanic *grabōną (“to gather, rake”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrebʰ- (“to gather, rake, grab, seize”). Related to archaic German grappen (“to grab”), Danish grabbe (“to grab”), Swedish grabba (“to grab”), Old Norse grápa (“to seize, appropriate”), Middle English grappen (“to feel, grope, grasp, clutch”), Old English ġegræppian (“to seize”). Related also to Sanskrit गृह्णाति (gṛhṇā́ti), गृभ्णाति (gṛbhṇā́ti, “he seizes”), Avestan 𐬔𐬭𐬀𐬠 (grab, “to seize”)), Macedonian грабне (grabne, “to snatch”), Bulgarian грабя (grabja, “to rob, to grab”).
The ball popped in and popped out, and when he made a grab for it on the ground he kicked it with his foot.1931 April, Harold M. Sherman, “The Baseball Clown”, in Boys' Life, volume 21, number 4, Boy Scouts of America, page 47:
He made a grab for me and I swung my handbag at him as hard as I could.2003, J Davey, Six Years of Darkness, Trafford Publishing, page 66:
2
An acquisition by violent or unjust means.
3
A mechanical device that grabs or clutches.
Almost all modern cranes are electrically operated and a quick-acting type of 30 cwt. capacity is suitable for general cargo, but not powerful enough to operate grabs for discharge of bulk cargoes.1945 January and February, T. F. Cameron, “Dock Working”, in Railway Magazine, page 11:
4
A device for withdrawing drills, etc., from artesian and other wells that are drilled, bored, or driven.
For example, one radio bulletin may feature one central issue, like a state election, and will focus on that issue. The bulletin might contain only a few voice wraps but many grabs, leaving the focus firmly on the newsreader.2008, Melissa Agnew, Here is the (Australian) News:
There have been many rescues made as a result of an aggressive search team who went in without a hoseline to make the grab.2022, Mark van der Feyst, Matt Wehrle, Rob Wiggins, The Tactical Firefighter: