grab
- 01 A2 Elementary
v.to take hold of something or someone suddenly and with force.
v.to seize or grasp something suddenly, often with a degree of force or urgency.
Simple“He had to grab the railing to keep from falling on the stairs.”
In context“The child reached out to grab his mother's hand as the crowd began to surge toward the station entrance.”
- 02 A2 Elementary
v.to get, buy, or take something quickly because you are in a hurry.
v.to obtain or retrieve something in a hurried or informal manner.
Simple“I need to grab my coat from the car before we leave.”
In context“If we hurry, we can grab the last few tickets before the box office closes for the evening.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
v.to have a quick meal or drink when you do not have much time.
v.to consume food or drink hastily, typically due to time constraints.
Simple“Let's grab a coffee before the meeting starts.”
In context“The commuters usually grab a quick sandwich at the station rather than sitting down for a proper lunch.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to get someone's interest or attention immediately.
v.to capture or command the attention or interest of an audience.
Simple“The bright colours of the advertisement really grab your attention.”
In context“The opening chapter of the novel is designed to grab the reader's interest and establish a sense of mystery.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a sudden attempt to take or hold something.
n.a sudden, forceful act of grasping or snatching at an object.
Simple“The player made a grab for the ball but missed it.”
In context“In a desperate grab for power, the junior executive attempted to bypass his manager and speak directly to the board.”
- 06 B1 Intermediate
n.a ride in a car booked through a specific mobile app, common in Southeast Asia.
n.a journey made in a private hire vehicle booked via the Grab ride-hailing platform.
Simple“It is raining outside, so let's just call a Grab to get to the restaurant.”
In context“After the concert ended, hundreds of people were trying to book a Grab at the same time, causing prices to surge.”
UsageCommonly used in Malaysia, Singapore, and neighbouring countries as a generic term for ride-hailing.
Teacher's tipThis is a brand-name turned common noun, similar to 'an Uber' in Western countries.
From Middle Dutch grabben or Middle Low German grabben (“to grasp, grab, seize, snatch”), from Old Saxon gravan, from Proto-West Germanic grabbōn, a secondary form of Proto-Germanic grabōną (“to gather, rake”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrebʰ- (“to gather, rake, grab, seize”). Related to archaic German grappen (“to grab”), Danish grabbe (“to grab”), Swedish grabba (“to grab”), Old Norse grápa (“to seize, appropriate”), Middle English grappen (“to feel, grope, grasp, clutch”), Old English ġegræppian (“to seize”). Related also to Sanskrit गृह्णाति (gṛhṇā́ti), गृभ्णाति (gṛbhṇā́ti, “he seizes”), Avestan 𐬔𐬭𐬀𐬠 (grab, “to seize”)), Macedonian грабне (grabne, “to snatch”), Bulgarian грабя (grabja, “to rob, to grab”).
From Arabic غُرَاب (ḡurāb) and Hindi ghurb?: crow, raven, a kind of Arab ship.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.