nab
[nab]
- to arrest or capture.
- to catch or seize, especially suddenly.
- to snatch or steal.
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Origin of nab
1675–85; earlier nap; perhaps < Scandinavian; compare Danish nappe, Norwegian, Swedish nappa to snatch
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for nabbed
Contemporary Examples
And yet, she nabbed a Best Supporting Actress nomination over the one and only Oprah.
15 Golden Globe Snubs and Surprises: No Oprah, No Jon Hamm, and MoreKevin Fallon, Marlow Stern
December 12, 2013
According to the Los Angeles Times, he was nabbed by store security after they saw him place a pair of headphones down his pants.
His was one of 11 nominations for Homeland, which also nabbed a supporting actress nod for Morena Baccarin.
Emmy Nomination Surprises and Snubs: ‘House of Cards,’ ‘Orphan Black,’ and MoreJason Lynch
July 18, 2013
[Style.com] Kate Upton's New Vogue Cred: Kate Upton has nabbed another Vogue cover.
Kim Kardashian Finally Gets Noticed By Vogue; Rick Owens's Eurovision PerformanceThe Fashion Beast Team
June 28, 2013
Red Sox centerfield Johnny Pesky nabbed the relay, double-clutched the ball, and threw late to the plate.
Historical Examples
Nero must have slipped in, nabbed the fish, and brought it to our house.
He's nabbed three of the Birdsall gang and is away now after Burleigh.
Warrior GapCharles King
Good Lord, man, you'll get nabbed if you speed up like this within limits.
Red Pepper BurnsGrace S. Richmond
It is quite on the cards that we should find that the police have nabbed him.
Linda TresselAnthony Trollope
He nabbed the first passer-by and asked him to point out Dr. Fitzhugh.
Unwise ChildGordon Randall Garrett
nab
- to arrest
- to catch (someone) in wrongdoing
- to seize suddenly; snatch
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Word Origin
C17: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare Danish nappe, Swedish nappa to snatch. See kidnap
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for nabbed
nab
v.
"to catch (someone)," 1680s, probably a variant of dialectal nap "to seize, catch, lay hold of" (1670s, now surviving only in kidnap), which possibly is from Scandinavian (cf. Norwegian nappe, Swedish nappa "to catch, snatch;" Danish nappe "to pinch, pull"); reinforced by Middle English napand "grasping, greedy." Related: Nabbed; nabbing.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper