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

The latest case against him involves an alleged plot to murder a rapper who survived a stabbing last year while jailed.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The assault shocked Germany two days before February's general election after a campaign centred heavily on immigration and security fuelled by a series of deadly stabbing and car ramming attacks carried out by migrants.

Read more on Barron's

But his outlook darkened: He threatened to stab a child at camp and would laugh when he got into trouble.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In his letter, Sir Keir wrote that watching Adolescence, the hit Netflix series about a 13-year-old arrested for stabbing a classmate, with his son had helped shaped his perspective on the problems facing young men.

Read more on BBC

A 32-year-old man accused of stabbing 10 people on a train has been charged with further offences relating to the day before the attack.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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