stab

¹

[stab]

verb (used with object)

stabbed, stabbing 

1. to pierce or wound with or as if with a pointed weapon.

   She stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork.

   Synonyms: transfix, pin, penetrate, spear

2. to thrust, plunge, or jab (a knife, pointed weapon, or the like) into something.

   He stabbed the knife into the man's chest.

3. to penetrate sharply or painfully.

   Their misery stabbed his conscience.

4. to make a piercing, thrusting, or pointing motion at or in.

   He stabbed me in the chest with his finger.

   The speaker stabbed the air in anger.

verb (used without object)

stabbed, stabbing 

1. to thrust with or as if with a knife or other pointed weapon.

   to stab at an attacker.

2. to deliver a wound, as with a pointed weapon.

noun

1. the act of stabbing.

2. a thrust or blow with, or as if with, a pointed weapon.

3. an attempt; try;

   Make a stab at an answer before giving up.

4. a wound made by stabbing.

5. a sudden, brief, and usually painful, sensation.

   He felt a stab of pain in his foot.

   A stab of pity ran through her.

stab.

²

abbreviation

1. stabilization.

2. stabilizer.

3. stable.

stab

/ stæb /

verb

1. (tr) to pierce or injure with a sharp pointed instrument

2. (tr) (of a sharp pointed instrument) to pierce or wound

   the knife stabbed her hand

3. to make a thrust (at); jab

   he stabbed at the doorway

4. (tr) to inflict with a sharp pain

5. 1. (verb) to do damage to the reputation of (a person, esp a friend) in a surreptitious way

   2. (noun) a treacherous action or remark that causes the downfall of or injury to a person

noun

1. the act or an instance of stabbing

2. an injury or rift made by stabbing

3. a sudden sensation, esp an unpleasant one

   a stab of pity

4. informal,  an attempt (esp in the phrase make a stab at )

Other Word Forms

• restab verb
• unstabbed adjective
• stabber noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of stab¹

First recorded in 1435–45 for the noun, and in 1525–35 for the verb; Middle English ( Scots ) noun stab, stabbe, stappe, of uncertain origin; compare Scots stob “needle, large needle”; verb from the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of stab¹

C14: from stabbe stab wound; probably related to Middle English stob stick

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. stab (someone) in the back, to do harm to (someone), especially to a friend or to a person who is unsuspecting or in a defenseless position.

2. a stab in the back, an act of treachery.

More idioms and phrases containing stab

• make a stab at

Example Sentences

As hundreds of police moved in to try to contain the violence on the estate, PC Keith Blakelock was repeatedly stabbed and killed.

Read more on BBC

In 2019, this concluded that Ms Wanjiru had been unlawfully killed by one or two British soldiers and that she had suffered stab wounds to the chest and abdomen.

Read more on BBC

He then stabbed the victim, who had only moved to Huddersfield a fortnight previously to live with his uncle, around 40 seconds after the confrontation started, in full view of passers-by, including children.

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A 22-year-old student at Cal State Long Beach was stabbed to death by his roommate in a swift and brutal attack that has left police searching for a motive, authorities said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In his defence, Franco said he thought Ahmad was armed, and stabbed him because he thought it was "him or me".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• hurt 
• injure 
• jab 
• prick 
• punch 
• stick 
• wound