grab (grabs plural & 3rd person present) (grabbing present participle) (grabbed past tense & past participle )
1 verb If you grab something, you take it or pick it up suddenly and roughly.
I managed to grab her hand... V n
I grabbed him by the neck. V n by/round n
2 verb If you grab at something, you try to grab it.
He was clumsily trying to grab at Alfred's arms. V at n
Grab is also a noun., n-count usu sing, N for/at n
I made a grab for the knife..., Mr Penrose made a grab at his collar.
3 verb If you grab someone who is walking past, you succeed in getting their attention.
INFORMAL Grab that waiter, Mary Ann. V n
4 verb If you grab someone's attention, you do something in order to make them notice you.
I jumped on the wall to grab the attention of the crowd. V n
5 verb If you grab something such as food, drink, or sleep, you manage to get some quickly.
INFORMAL Grab a beer. V n
6 verb If you grab something such as a chance or opportunity, or grab at it, you take advantage of it eagerly.
(=seize)
She grabbed the chance of a job interview... V n
He grabbed at the opportunity to buy his castle. V at n
7 n-count A grab for something such as power or fame is an attempt to gain it.
usu sing, N for n
...a grab for personal power.
8
→
smash-and-grab
→
to grab hold of
→
hold
9 If something is up for grabs, it is available to anyone who is interested. INFORMAL
up for grabs phrase usu v-link PHR The famous Ritz hotel is up for grabs for £100m.
grab bag (grab bags plural )
1 n-count A grab bag is a game in which you take a prize out of a container full of hidden prizes.
(AM)
in BRIT, use lucky dip
2 n-count A grab bagof things, ideas, or people is a varied group of them.
usu N of n
...a fascinating grab-bag of documents about the life of Liszt.
smash-and-grab (smash-and-grabs plural ), smash and grab A smash-and-grab is a robbery in which a person breaks a shop window, takes the things that are on display there, and runs away with them. n-count oft N n
...a smash and grab raid.
