stab

[ stab ]

/ stæb /

verb (used with object), stabbed, stab·bing.

to pierce or wound with or as if with a pointed weapon: She stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork.

to thrust, plunge, or jab (a knife, pointed weapon, or the like) into something: He stabbed the knife into the man's chest.

to penetrate sharply or painfully: Their misery stabbed his conscience.

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, stab·bing.

to thrust with or as if with a knife or other pointed weapon: to stab at an attacker.

to deliver a wound, as with a pointed weapon.

noun

the act of stabbing.

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

an attempt; try: Make a stab at an answer before giving up.

a wound made by stabbing.

a sudden, brief, and usually painful, sensation: He felt a stab of pain in his foot. A stab of pity ran through her.

Words nearby stab

st.-ouen, st.-émilion, st.-étienne, sta, sta., stab, stab cell, stab culture, stab drain, stab in the back, a, stab kick

Idioms for stab

a stab in the back, an act of treachery.

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.

Origin of stab

1325–75; (v.) Middle English (Scots) stabben < ?; (noun) late Middle English, akin to or derivative of the v.; compare Scots stob stub¹

SYNONYMS FOR stab

1 spear, penetrate, pin, transfix.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR stab ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM stab

re·stab, verb, re·stabbed, re·stab·bing.un·stabbed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for stab in the back

stab

/ (stæb) /

verb stabs, stabbing or stabbed

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

(tr) (of a sharp pointed instrument) to pierce or woundthe knife stabbed her hand

(when intr , often foll by at) to make a thrust (at); jabhe stabbed at the doorway

(tr) to inflict with a sharp pain

stab in the back

(verb) to do damage to the reputation of (a person, esp a friend) in a surreptitious way
(noun) a treacherous action or remark that causes the downfall of or injury to a person

noun

the act or an instance of stabbing

an injury or rift made by stabbing

a sudden sensation, esp an unpleasant onea stab of pity

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

Derived forms of stab

stabber, noun

Word Origin for stab

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

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

Idioms and Phrases with stab in the back

stab

In addition to the idiom beginning with stab

stab in the back, a

also see:

make a stab at

stab

verb (used with object), stabbed, stab·bing.

verb (used without object), stabbed, stab·bing.

noun

Content related to stab

Words related to stab

Words nearby stab

Idioms for stab

Origin of stab

SYNONYMS FOR stab

OTHER WORDS FROM stab

British Dictionary definitions for stab in the back

verb stabs, stabbing or stabbed

noun

Derived forms of stab

Word Origin for stab

Idioms and Phrases with stab in the back