stab

[ stab ]

/ stæb /

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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.

OTHER WORDS FOR stab

1 spear, penetrate, pin, transfix.

See synonyms for stab on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms about 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

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

OTHER WORDS FROM stab

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

Other definitions for stab (2 of 2)

stab.

abbreviation

stabilization.

stabilizer.

stable.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use stab in a sentence

I'm not playing any dirty stab-in-the-back games like that little one of yours last night.
The Lash|Olin L. Lyman

British Dictionary definitions for stab

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with stab

stab

In addition to the idiom beginning with stab

stab in the back, a

also see:

make a stab at

stab

OTHER WORDS FOR stab

Idioms about stab

Origin of stab

OTHER WORDS FROM stab

Other definitions for stab (2 of 2)

Words related to stab

How to use stab in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for stab

Derived forms of stab

Word Origin for stab

Other Idioms and Phrases with stab