Etymology : Middle English graspen
Pronunciation : grasp
Function : verb
Date : 14th century
1. grip, clasp, hold; understanding, knowledge, realization. hold tight, grip; grab hold; understand, comprehend. grasp\grasp\, n.
2. a gripe or seizure of the hand; a seizure by embrace, or infolding in the arms. "the grasps of love.".
3. reach of the arms; hence, the power of seizing and holding; as, it was beyond his grasp.
4. forcible possession; hold. the whole space that's in the tyrant's grasp.
5. wide-reaching power of intellect to comprehend subjects and hold them under survey. the foremost minds of the next era were not, in power of grasp, equal to their predecessors. --z. taylor.
6. the handle of a sword or of an oar.grasp \grasp\ , v. t. [imp. & p. p. grasper ; p. pr. & vb. n. qraspine.] [oe. graspen; prob. akin to lg. grupsen, or to e. grope. cf. grab, grope.].
7. to seize and hold by clasping or embracing with the fingers or arms; to catch to take possession of. thy hand is made to grasp a palmer's staff.
8. to lay hold of with the mind; to become thoroughly acquainted or conversant with; to comprehend.grasp \grasp\, v. i. to effect a grasp; to make the motion of grasping; to clutch; to struggle; to strive. as one that grasped and tugged for life and was by strength subdued.
9. To seize and hold by clasping or embracing with the fingers or arms; to catch to take possession of.
10. To lay hold of with the mind; to become thoroughly acquainted or conversant with; to comprehend.
11. To effect a grasp; to make the motion of grasping; to clutch; to struggle; to strive.
12. A gripe or seizure of the hand; a seizure by embrace, or infolding in the arms.
13. Reach of the arms; hence, the power of seizing and holding; as, it was beyond his grasp.
14. Forcible possession; hold.
15. Wide-reaching power of intellect to comprehend subjects and hold them under survey.
16. The handle of a sword or of an oar. hold firmly.
17. 1. If you grasp something, you take it in your hand and hold it very firmly. He grasped both my hands She was trying to grasp at something. see also:
grasping.
18. A grasp is a very firm hold or grip. His hand was taken in a warm, firm grasp.
19. If you say that something is in someone's grasp, you disapprove of the fact that they possess or control it. If something slips from your grasp, you lose it or lose control of it. The people in your grasp are not guests, they are hostages She allowed victory to slip from her grasp. the task of liberating a number of states from the grasp of tyrants.
20. If you grasp something that is complicated or difficult to understand, you understand it. The Government has not yet grasped the seriousness of the crisis He instantly grasped that Stephen was talking about his wife.
21. A grasp of something is an understanding of it. They have a good grasp of foreign languages.
22. If you say that something is within someone's grasp, you mean that it is very likely that they will achieve it. Peace is now within our grasp.