Synonyms Word Origin
See more synonyms for grab on Thesaurus.com verb (used with object), grabbed, grab·bing. to seize suddenly or quickly; snatch; clutch: He grabbed me by the collar. to take illegal possession of; seize forcibly or unscrupulously: to grab land. to obtain and consume quickly: Let's grab a sandwich before going to the movie. Slang to cause a reaction in; affect: How does my idea grab you? to arouse the interest or excitement of: The book was O.K., but it just didn't grab me. Show More
verb (used without object), grabbed, grab·bing. to make a grasping or clutching motion (usually followed by at ): He grabbed frantically at the life preserver. (of brakes, a clutch, etc.) to take hold suddenly or with a jolting motion; bind. Show More
a sudden, quick grasp or snatch: to make a grab at something. seizure or acquisition by violent or unscrupulous means. something that is grabbed. a mechanical device for gripping objects. the capacity to hold or adhere: The glue was so old it had lost its grab. Show More
up for grabs , Informal available to anyone willing to expend the energy to get it: The Republican nomination for mayor was up for grabs. Show More
Origin of grab 1 1580–90; cognate with Middle Dutch, Middle Low German grabben, Swedish grabba
Related forms grab·ba·ble , adjective un·grab·bing , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words for up for grabs accessible ,
usable ,
convenient ,
vacant ,
possible ,
free ,
applicable ,
feasible ,
handy ,
tricky ,
ambiguous ,
uncertain ,
puzzling ,
unsettled ,
precarious ,
dubious ,
moot ,
questionable ,
unclear ,
unsure British Dictionary definitions for up for grabs verb grabs , grabbing or grabbed to seize hold of (something) (tr) to seize illegally or unscrupulously (tr) to arrest; catch (intr) (of a brake or clutch in a vehicle) to grip and release intermittently causing juddering (tr) informal to catch the attention or interest of; impress Show More
the act or an instance of grabbing a mechanical device for gripping objects, esp the hinged jaws of a mechanical excavator something that is grabbed up for grabs informal available to be bought, claimed, or won Show More
Derived Forms grabber , noun Word Origin for grab C16: probably from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch grabben; related to Swedish grabba, Sanskrit grbhnāti he seizes
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 up for grabs n. 1777, "thing grabbed;" 1824, "act of grabbing," from grab (v.). Up for grabs attested from 1945 in jive talk.
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v. 1580s, from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German grabben "to grab," from Proto-Germanic *grab (cf. Old English græppian "to seize," Old Saxon garva , Old High German garba "sheaf," literally "that which is gathered up together"), from PIE *ghrebh- "to seize, reach" (cf. Sanskrit grbhnati "seizes," Old Persian grab- "seize" as possession or prisoner, Old Church Slavonic grabiti "to seize, rob," Lithuanian grebiu "to rake"). Sense of "to get by unscrupulous methods" reinforced by grab game , a kind of swindle, attested from 1846. Related: Grabbed ; grabbing .
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with up for grabs Available to anyone, as in Now that he's resigned, his job is up for grabs . This term alludes to something being thrown in the air for anyone to grasp or catch. [Colloquial ; 1920s]
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In addition to the idiom beginning with grab
also see:
how does that grab you up for grabs Show More
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
