grabble

American  

[grab-uhl] / ˈgræb əl /

verb (used without object)

grabbled, grabbling

1. to feel or search with the hands; grope.

2. to sprawl; scramble.

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grabble British  

/ ˈɡræbəl /

verb

1. (intr) to scratch or feel about with the hands

2. (intr) to fall to the ground; sprawl

3. (tr) to seize rashly

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Other Word Forms

• grabbler
  noun

Etymology

Origin of grabble

1570–80; grab ¹ + -le; compare Dutch grabbelen

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grabble grabbled grabbling

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

And every minute their fingers grabble in the purses of nobles.

From My Neighbors Stories of the Welsh People by Evans, Caradoc

Often raccoons, foxes, and squirrels grabble them up.

From The Peanut Plant Its Cultivation And Uses by Jones, B. W.

For “the wind bloweth where it listeth,” as Christ saith; we must not grabble nor search after the same.

From Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther by Bell, Captain Henry

I nebber digs my taters up Wen dey's only right to grabble.

From Negro Folk Rhymes Wise and Otherwise: With a Study by Talley, Thomas Washington

“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

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 Maxwell, James Robert

Being blind made touch even more of an instrument of knowing something although all grabbled around in darkness.

From Tokyo to Tijuana: Gabriele Departing America by Sills, Steven (Steven David Justin)

"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 Caruthers, William Alexander

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

The furies of rage and rancour were grabbling at her heart, even as the leopard had scrabbled on her face.

From Blue Aloes Stories of South Africa by Stockley, Cynthia

We jumped over the fence, and commenced grabbling for the sweet potatoes.

From "Co. Aytch" Maury Grays, First Tennessee Regiment or, A Side Show of the Big Show by Watkins, Sam R.