grabble
Americanverb (used without object)
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to feel or search with the hands; grope.
-
to sprawl; scramble.
verb
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(intr) to scratch or feel about with the hands
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(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:
You could ache for the cozy city of the past in “The Royal Tenenbaums” or grabble with the schism of everything suddenly feeling different in “Mulholland Drive.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
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
"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
The father of the family, however, was quick to perceive his son's offence against good manners, and corrected him in a loud whisper: 'Moosn't grabble yer han' 'moong the 'tators here!'
From Art in England Notes and Studies by Dutton Cook
To grabble the bit; to seize any one's money.
From 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
“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
Some of them cleft the rocks with great axes; others grabbled in the sand.
From A House of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde
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 Steven (Steven David Justin) Sills
Jim stopp'd an' grabbled up a clot, An' zent en at en lik' a shot; An' down went Daw an' cage avore The clot, up thump ageän the door.
From Poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect by William Barnes
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 Cynthia Stockley
I heard Collins grabbling for it, somewhere in the dark of the tunnel.
From The La Chance Mine Mystery by George W. Gage
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
