grabble
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to feel or search with the hands; grope.
-
to sprawl; scramble.
verb
-
(intr) to scratch or feel about with the hands
-
(intr) to fall to the ground; sprawl
-
(tr) to seize rashly
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of grabble
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It’s that we want—and need—the ability to grabble with nuance and ambiguity that are inherent when our bodies and minds fail.
From Slate ● Apr. 9, 2018
Then we grabble in de pot for more.
From Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves South Carolina Narratives, Part 4 by Work Projects Administration
What a foolish fellow you are, indeed, trying to grabble cherries out of the ground, as you do potatoes!
From Alice of Old Vincennes by Maurice Thompson
V. touch, feel, handle, finger, thumb, paw, fumble, grope, grabble; twiddle, tweedle; pass the fingers over, run the fingers over; manipulate, wield; throw out a feeler.
From Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Peter Mark Roget
"Who gets me, I think, will have to swoop down in an aeroplane, and grabble me all up and fly away with me!"
From Patty's Suitors by Carolyn Wells
“Rebel Yell” starts up from the sound system and, as if on cue, my son lets out a grabbled “a-woooh!”
From Slate ● Jun. 30, 2015
Suddenly, the Fleshlumpeater shot out two enormous hands and grabbled the BFG around the waist.
From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl
"Oh! you see, I grabbled that in the scuffle, and slipped it into my pocket."
From The Kentuckian in New-York, Volume I (of 2) or, The Adventures of Three Southerns by William Alexander Caruthers
He stood with his broad hat in his hand and out of it he grabbled a handkerchief and wiped his face.
From The Jucklins A Novel by Opie Percival Read
Ed King and Jim Maxwell each had a sack of sweet potatoes, grabbled in a field a mile and a half away.
From A History of Lumsden's Battery, C.S.A. by James Robert Maxwell
Other departments in California are grabbling with similar incidents.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2020
And then, as if a signal has gone off that only the childrens can hear, all of their hands are reaching and grabbling and snatching.
From "The Unfinished Angel" by Sharon Creech
‘We will swear to do what he wants, yes, yess,’ said Gollum, still twisting and grabbling at his ankle.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
Taylors out of work, who cut off the waistcoat pockets of their brethren, when cross-legged on their board, thereby grabbling their bit.
From 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
The speaker slowly rose, grabbling the face of the rock.
From John March, Southerner by George W. Cable
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.
