stab (stæb
)
Definitions
verb
Word forms: stabs, stabbing, stabbed
- (tr) to pierce or injure with a sharp pointed instrument
- (tr) (of a sharp pointed instrument) to pierce or wound ⇒
the knife stabbed her hand
- when intr, often foll by at to make a thrust (at); jab ⇒
he stabbed at the doorway
- (tr) to inflict with a sharp pain
- See stab in the back
noun
- the act or an instance of stabbing
- an injury or rift made by stabbing
- a sudden sensation, esp an unpleasant one ⇒
a stab of pity
- informal an attempt (esp in the phrase make a stab at)
Alternative Forms
ˈstabber nounWord Origin
C14: from stabbe stab wound; probably related to Middle English stob stickSynonyms
View thesaurus entryTranslations
- British English:
stab
If someone stabs another person, they push a knife into their body.He was stabbed to death.stæb VERB He was stabbed to death.
- Spanish:
apuñalar
v
- French:
poignarder
vt
- German:
stechen
v
- Chinese: 刺伤 v
- Arabic: يَطْعَنُ v
- Portuguese: apunhalar v
- Russian: колоть v
- Croatian: ubosti v
- Czech: bodnout v bodat
- Danish: stikke v
- Dutch: stoten v
- Finnish: puukottaa v
- Greek: μαχαιρώνω v
- Italian: accoltellare v
- Japanese: 突き刺す v
- Korean: 찌르다 v
- Norwegian: stikke v
- Polish: pchnąć nożem v
- Brazilian Portuguese: apunhalar v
- European Spanish:
apuñalar
v
- Swedish: knivhugga v
- Thai: แทง v
- Turkish: bıçaklamak v
- Vietnamese: đâm v
Usage examples
She blushed and giggled while I tried very, very hard not to stab Andrew with my pudding fork.
, RESCUING ROSE (2002)They know the insults that will stab , the punishment that will hurt.
Spiked (2004)According to police, Beksinski's body had multiple stab wounds; there was no sign of forced entry or robbery.
CBC (2005)Both also make a stab at measuring the volatility of a fund in obtaining its investment returns.
Glasgow Herald (2001)Nor did he have any idea that Watson was about to make a new stab at building a model of DNA.
, ROSALIND FRANKLIN (2002)