take a stab at
To attempt or try.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I do not know the answer, but I will take a stab at it.”
“The crossword puzzle was difficult, but she decided to take a stab at the final clue before giving up.”
“Although he lacked formal training in the field, he felt confident enough to take a stab at solving the complex mathematical problem that had baffled his colleagues for weeks.”
- 01
be taken ill
To become ill.
- 02
cross to take up
Alternative form of cross to bear.
- 03
forget to take one's medication this morning
To be annoyed or irritable, or to behave in an ill-mannered way, particularly in the morning.
- 04
get taken in
To be fooled; to fall for.
- 05
give and take
A process of compromise or accommodation.
- 06
give someone an inch and someone will take a mile
Alternative form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.
- 07
have a stab
To make an attempt, a try.
- 08
have one's name taken
To receive a yellow card.
Last updated August 10, 2026