See grabble in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
Download JSON data for grabble meaning in English (19.0kB)
{
"derived": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "grabbler"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*gʰrebʰ-"
},
"expansion": "[Template:root]",
"name": "root"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "grab",
"3": "le"
},
"expansion": "grab + -le",
"name": "suffix"
}
],
"etymology_text": "grab + -le",
"forms": [
{
"form": "grabbles",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "grabbling",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "grabbled",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "grabbled",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "grabble (third-person singular simple present grabbles, present participle grabbling, simple past and past participle grabbled)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"grab‧ble"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"text": "1614, John Taylor, Water-Worke: or, The Sculler’s Travels, Dedication, in All the Works of John Taylor the Water Poet, London: James Boler, 1630, reprinted for the Spenser Society, 1869,\nIle grable for Gudgeons or fish for Flounders in the Rereward of our eminent temporizing Humorists, sharpe Satyrists, or Ænigmaticall Epigramatists."
},
{
"ref": "1689, John Selden, “Presbytery”, in Table-Talk, London: E. Smith, pages 48–49",
"text": "[…] when he should come to pay his Reckoning he puts his hands into his Pockets, and keeps a grabling and a fumbling, and shaking, at last tells you he has left his Money at home; when all the company knew at first, he had no Money there, for every man can quickly find his own Money.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"text": "1741, Samuel Richardson, Pamela, London: C. Rivington and J. Osborn, Volume 1, Letter 31, p. 202,\nHe has only a few Scratches on his Face; which, said she, I suppose he got by grabbling among the Gravel, at the bottom of the Dam, to try to find a Hole in the Ground, to hide himself from the Robbers."
},
{
"text": "1887, Oscar Wilde, “The Canterville Ghost,” Chapter III, in Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime & Other Stories, London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., 1891, p. 113,\nA few hollow groans from the wardrobe, he thought, would be more than sufficient, or, if that failed to wake her, he might grabble at the counterpane with palsy-twitching fingers."
},
{
"ref": "1959, chapter 16, in William Arrowsmith, transl., The Satyricon of Petronius, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, page 157",
"text": "[…] we see beneath the digger’s spade\nearth spill her hidden treasures out, and greedy hands\ngo grabbling after gold,",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To search with one's hands and fingers; to attempt to grasp something."
],
"id": "en-grabble-en-verb-HfnYNYxr",
"links": [
[
"search",
"search"
],
[
"attempt",
"attempt"
],
[
"grasp",
"grasp"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive) To search with one's hands and fingers; to attempt to grasp something."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "fumble"
},
{
"word": "grope"
},
{
"word": "grubble"
},
{
"word": "root"
},
{
"word": "rummage"
},
{
"word": "feel around"
}
],
"tags": [
"intransitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1727, Peter Longueville, The Hermit, Westminster: T. Warner and B. Creake, Book 3, p. 181",
"text": "[…] he proposes to spend the Afternoon at the Out-side of the Rock, in viewing the Sea, and looking for Oysters; so takes in his Hand his long Staff to grabble in Holes […]",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To search in a similar way using an implement."
],
"id": "en-grabble-en-verb-nEVl~cs2",
"links": [
[
"implement",
"implement#Etymology_1"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive, obsolete) To search in a similar way using an implement."
],
"tags": [
"intransitive",
"obsolete"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"text": "1719, Thomas d'Urfey, “Willey’s Intreague” in Wit and Mirth: or Pills to Purge Melancholy, London: J. Tonson, 1876 reprint, p. 195,\nWhen Nelly tho’ he teiz’d her,\nAnd Grabbled her and Squeez’d her,\nCry’d, stay a little, I vow and swear I could kill ye,\nAnother touch I can bear ye,"
},
{
"ref": "2006, Ruth Francisco, “The Manikin”, in The Secret Memoirs of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: A Novel, New York: St. Martin’s Press, page 299",
"text": "I struggle, confused, frightened, which he mistakes for excitement, grabbling my breasts, scrubbing them in circles as he plunges his tongue.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2008, Lisa Gabriele, chapter 4, in The Almost Archer Sisters, New York: Simon & Schuster, page 47",
"text": "Come here, boys, and let your gorgeous auntie grabble her hairy little monkeys!",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To touch (someone) with one's hands or fingers, sometimes in a sexual way."
],
"id": "en-grabble-en-verb-ctoIqhQM",
"links": [
[
"touch",
"touch"
],
[
"sexual",
"sexual"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To touch (someone) with one's hands or fingers, sometimes in a sexual way."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "feel up"
},
{
"word": "fondle"
},
{
"word": "grope"
},
{
"word": "fondle"
}
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "6 6 9 23 3 8 6 3 5 24 7",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "17 3 8 9 19 2 6 7 3 5 16 6",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"parents": [
"Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "15 6 5 8 17 4 7 4 4 7 17 6",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English terms suffixed with -le",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1895, Stephen Crane, “A Mystery of Heroism”, in Maggie: A Girl of the Streets and Selected Stories, New York: Signet, published 1991, page 119",
"text": "He grabbled one of the canteens and, unfastening its cap, swung it down by the cord.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1915, Carolyn Wells, chapter 11, in The White Alley,, Philadelphia: Lippincott",
"text": "“When Cave Men carry off little girls,” she said, “do they throw them over their shoulders,—or just grabble them up under their arms?”",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1934, Angela Thirkell, The Demon in the House, Part 3, Chapter 5",
"text": "“Mother,” said Tony, “you know that spanner that got into the water-butt the day I had my bandaged ankle? It’s here; we can feel it. Can I put on my bathing dress and grabble it up with my feet?”",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1962, Meindert DeJong, chapter 7, in The Singing Hill,, New York: Harper & Row, page 110",
"text": "He […] pulled out one of the apples and rolled it under the fence to the horse. The horse grabbled it up with quivering lips.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To pick (something or someone) up hastily, roughly or clumsily."
],
"id": "en-grabble-en-verb-IdMCgj0S",
"links": [
[
"hastily",
"hastily"
],
[
"roughly",
"roughly"
],
[
"clumsily",
"clumsily"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To pick (something or someone) up hastily, roughly or clumsily."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "grab"
},
{
"word": "seize"
},
{
"word": "snatch"
}
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1989, Nick Cave, And the Ass Saw the Angel, New York: HarperPaperbacks, published 1992, Book 2, Chapter 12, p. 228",
"text": "The flailing mob of forty-fold took turns at throwing, each trying to lasso the sinking beast as it grabbled the air in blind terror in an attempt to keep its forelegs above the surface.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To attempt to grab; to grasp at (something)."
],
"id": "en-grabble-en-verb-yA23hpOg",
"links": [
[
"grasp",
"grasp"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To attempt to grab; to grasp at (something)."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "clutch"
},
{
"word": "grip"
},
{
"word": "grasp"
}
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"text": "1865, W. W. McCarty, “History of Captain W. W. McCarty’s Prison Life, and Southern Prisons,” in History of the 78th Regiment O.V.V.I., Zanesville, OH: Hugh Dunne, p. 302,\n[…] Harry went into the potato patch and grabbled us some sweet potatoes […]"
},
{
"ref": "1902, Martha McCulloch-Williams, chapter 9, in Next to the Ground: Chronicles of a Countryside, New York: McClure, Philips, pages 203–204",
"text": "Going through the woods, he grabbled acorns from under the snow, thinking to fling them in the hogshead, and find out if the jays would really eat them.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"text": "1910, J. C. Cooper (ed.), Walnut Growing in Oregon, Passenger Department, Portland, OR: Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co., Southern Pacific Company Lines in Oregon, p. 17,\nOne grower had a bed of hybrid black walnuts. The season was late and when the ground was ready for planting many had started to grow. He engaged some boys to grabble out the nuts from the sand beds, urging care, but many of the best were broken and injured."
},
{
"text": "1924, United States Department of Labor, Child Labor and the Work of Mothers on Norfolk Truck Farms, Bureau Publication No. 30, Washington: Government Printing Office, p. 11,\nThe potatoes […] are then lifted out of the soil by hand—“scratched,” “graveled,” or “grabbled” out, according to the idioms of the colored workers […]"
},
{
"ref": "1956, William L. Crosthwait, Ernest G. Fischer, “Off to the War”, in The Last Stitch, Philadelphia: Lippincott, page 194",
"text": "I said, “Uncle, how would you like to be up in that airplane?”\nHe said, “No, sah, I never wants to be higher than picking peaches and no lower than grabbling goobers.”",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To pull, lift or dig (something) (out of the ground) by searching with one's hands and fingers."
],
"id": "en-grabble-en-verb-dLXE8LJ~",
"links": [
[
"pull",
"pull"
],
[
"lift",
"lift"
],
[
"dig",
"dig"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To pull, lift or dig (something) (out of the ground) by searching with one's hands and fingers."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "grub"
}
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1596, William Clowes, “The cure of Lues Venerea”, in A Profitable and Necessarie Booke of Obseruations, London: Thomas Dawson, page 181",
"text": "[…] set all these togither on the fire, & boile them till the wine and water be consumed, and that the flesh and bones be separated a sunder, that you may with a paire of tongs grabble out the bones from the rest, thus let it be taken off and pressed through a piece of canuas, and keepe it to your use.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To lift (something) out in a similar way using an implement."
],
"id": "en-grabble-en-verb-exdpaUhx",
"links": [
[
"implement",
"implement#Etymology_1"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive, obsolete) To lift (something) out in a similar way using an implement."
],
"tags": [
"obsolete",
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1868, J. C. Wilcocks, The Sea-Fisherman, 2nd edition, London: Longmans, Green, page 125",
"text": "You will also take many Flounders […] without a boat, in the drains and watercourses of embanked lands, and even with your hands, for the fish will often seek shelter under your feet if wading; this latter method is termed ‘Grabbling.’",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1911, S. J. Kennerly, chapter 14, in The Story of Sam Tag, New York: The Cosmopolitan Press, page 149",
"text": "“Now watch me,” said Uncle Huse, “and I’ll show you how to grabble fish.” Slowly his hand went down among the fish. “Look,” said he, “I am going to yank out de larges’.”",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1930, William Faulkner, “Vardaman”, in As I Lay Dying, New York: Vintage, published 1964, page 143",
"text": "[…] in the water she could go faster than a man and Darl had to grabble for her […]",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1994, Clyde Bolton, chapter 1, in The Lost Sunshine, Montgomery, AL: Black Belt Press, page 12",
"text": "I told her about grabbling—reaching under rocks at the shoals of the river and pulling out catfish.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To catch fish by reaching into the water with one's hand."
],
"id": "en-grabble-en-verb-oEOI8IL3",
"links": [
[
"transitive",
"transitive"
],
[
"intransitive",
"intransitive"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive, intransitive, now Southeastern US) To catch fish by reaching into the water with one's hand."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "noodle"
}
],
"tags": [
"Southeastern",
"US",
"intransitive",
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1840, uncredited author, chapter 8, in The Sportsman in Ireland, with His Summer Tour through the Highlands of Scotland, volume 2, London: Henry Colburn, page 109",
"text": "It was just after such a day that I grabbled fifty of the best salmon I ever saw—all fresh run from the sea.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To fish on the grabble."
],
"id": "en-grabble-en-verb-xwRnvTWO",
"links": [
[
"transitive",
"transitive"
],
[
"intransitive",
"intransitive"
],
[
"fish",
"fish"
],
[
"grabble",
"grabble#Noun"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To fish on the grabble."
],
"tags": [
"intransitive",
"obsolete",
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "6 6 9 23 3 8 6 3 5 24 7",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
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"Entry maintenance"
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"source": "w+disamb"
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{
"_dis": "17 3 8 9 19 2 6 7 3 5 16 6",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"parents": [
"Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
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{
"_dis": "15 6 5 8 17 4 7 4 4 7 17 6",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English terms suffixed with -le",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1868, Sheridan Le Fanu, “Squire Toby’s Will”, in Best Ghost Stories of J. S. Le Fanu, New York: Dover, published 1964, page 17",
"text": "[…] there was instantly a dreadful confusion and uproar in the room, and such a grabbling and laughing; he could not catch the words […]",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1941, Ngaio Marsh, chapter 17, in Death of a Peer, New York: Jove Books, published 1980, page 253",
"text": "“We are very grateful to you for coming, sir,” said Alleyn.\n“Not at all, not at all,” grabbled Mr. Rattisbon. “Shocking affair. Dreadful.”",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1979, Lawrence Kamarck, chapter 14, in Informed Sources, New York: Dial, page 120",
"text": "Who the hell were all these bastards? Grabbling like a bunch of monkeys, talking gibberish.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To utter inarticulate sounds, often quickly and loudly; to say (something) quickly, idly or foolishly."
],
"id": "en-grabble-en-verb-rmGCztPt",
"links": [
[
"transitive",
"transitive"
],
[
"intransitive",
"intransitive"
],
[
"utter",
"utter"
],
[
"inarticulate",
"inarticulate"
],
[
"say",
"say"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive, intransitive) To utter inarticulate sounds, often quickly and loudly; to say (something) quickly, idly or foolishly."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "babble"
},
{
"word": "gabble"
},
{
"word": "gibber"
},
{
"word": "jabber"
}
],
"tags": [
"intransitive",
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"text": "1584, uncredited translator (attributed to Barnabe Rich), The Famous Hystory of Herodotus, London: Thomas Marshe, Book 2,\n[…] they conduct hym to the hygh way that leadeth to the temple of the goddesse Ceres, where after they haue placed hym, they leaue hym grabling in that place, and departe their waye."
},
{
"ref": "1637, James Day, “On contempt of the World”, in A New Spring of Divine Poetrie, London: Humphry Blunden, page 40",
"roman": "Thy selfe by grabbling on a dunghill soyle:",
"text": "A Loft O Soule; soare up, doe not turmoyle",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1679, John Bunyan, A Treatise of the Fear of God, London: N. Ponder, page 201",
"text": "And this is the reason that we so often lie grabling under the black, and amazing thoughts that are engendred in our hearts by unbelief:",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To lie prostrate; to sprawl on the ground."
],
"id": "en-grabble-en-verb-izG3vo5L",
"links": [
[
"prostrate",
"prostrate"
],
[
"sprawl",
"sprawl"
],
[
"ground",
"ground"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive, obsolete) To lie prostrate; to sprawl on the ground."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "grovel"
}
],
"tags": [
"intransitive",
"obsolete"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈɡɹæbl̩/"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-grabble.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/cd/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-grabble.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-grabble.wav.mp3",
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"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "38 1 45 6 3 1 1 1 0 3 1",
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "tǎrsja pipneškom",
"sense": "to grope",
"word": "търся пипнешком"
},
{
"_dis1": "38 1 45 6 3 1 1 1 0 3 1",
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "to grope",
"word": "hārau"
},
{
"_dis1": "38 1 45 6 3 1 1 1 0 3 1",
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "to grope",
"word": "whāwhā"
}
],
"word": "grabble"
}
{
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*gʰrebʰ-"
},
"expansion": "[Template:root]",
"name": "root"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "grab",
"3": "le"
},
"expansion": "grab + -le",
"name": "suffix"
}
],
"etymology_text": "grab + -le",
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "-"
},
"expansion": "grabble (uncountable)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"grab‧ble"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "17 3 8 9 19 2 6 7 3 5 16 6",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
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{
"_dis": "15 6 5 8 17 4 7 4 4 7 17 6",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English terms suffixed with -le",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "To lay / fish (up)on the grabble",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "1740, chapter 11, in John Williamson, editor, The British Angler, London: J. Hodges, page 223",
"text": "Some advise to angle for the common Eel upon the Grabble […]",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A method of fishing using a line with several hooks fastened to it along with a lead weight so that the hooks sit on the bottom."
],
"id": "en-grabble-en-noun-6ghZyERp",
"links": [
[
"fishing",
"fishing"
],
[
"line",
"fishing line"
],
[
"hook",
"hook"
],
[
"fasten",
"fasten"
],
[
"lead",
"lead"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(obsolete) A method of fishing using a line with several hooks fastened to it along with a lead weight so that the hooks sit on the bottom."
],
"tags": [
"obsolete",
"uncountable"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈɡɹæbl̩/"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-grabble.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/cd/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-grabble.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-grabble.wav.mp3",
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"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"word": "grabble"
}
{
"categories": [
"English 2-syllable words",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English reporting verbs",
"English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
"English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *gʰrebʰ-",
"English terms suffixed with -le",
"English terms with IPA pronunciation",
"English terms with audio links",
"English uncountable nouns",
"English verbs"
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "grabbler"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*gʰrebʰ-"
},
"expansion": "[Template:root]",
"name": "root"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "grab",
"3": "le"
},
"expansion": "grab + -le",
"name": "suffix"
}
],
"etymology_text": "grab + -le",
"forms": [
{
"form": "grabbles",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "grabbling",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "grabbled",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "grabbled",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "grabble (third-person singular simple present grabbles, present participle grabbling, simple past and past participle grabbled)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"grab‧ble"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English intransitive verbs",
"English terms with quotations",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "1614, John Taylor, Water-Worke: or, The Sculler’s Travels, Dedication, in All the Works of John Taylor the Water Poet, London: James Boler, 1630, reprinted for the Spenser Society, 1869,\nIle grable for Gudgeons or fish for Flounders in the Rereward of our eminent temporizing Humorists, sharpe Satyrists, or Ænigmaticall Epigramatists."
},
{
"ref": "1689, John Selden, “Presbytery”, in Table-Talk, London: E. Smith, pages 48–49",
"text": "[…] when he should come to pay his Reckoning he puts his hands into his Pockets, and keeps a grabling and a fumbling, and shaking, at last tells you he has left his Money at home; when all the company knew at first, he had no Money there, for every man can quickly find his own Money.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"text": "1741, Samuel Richardson, Pamela, London: C. Rivington and J. Osborn, Volume 1, Letter 31, p. 202,\nHe has only a few Scratches on his Face; which, said she, I suppose he got by grabbling among the Gravel, at the bottom of the Dam, to try to find a Hole in the Ground, to hide himself from the Robbers."
},
{
"text": "1887, Oscar Wilde, “The Canterville Ghost,” Chapter III, in Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime & Other Stories, London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., 1891, p. 113,\nA few hollow groans from the wardrobe, he thought, would be more than sufficient, or, if that failed to wake her, he might grabble at the counterpane with palsy-twitching fingers."
},
{
"ref": "1959, chapter 16, in William Arrowsmith, transl., The Satyricon of Petronius, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, page 157",
"text": "[…] we see beneath the digger’s spade\nearth spill her hidden treasures out, and greedy hands\ngo grabbling after gold,",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To search with one's hands and fingers; to attempt to grasp something."
],
"links": [
[
"search",
"search"
],
[
"attempt",
"attempt"
],
[
"grasp",
"grasp"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive) To search with one's hands and fingers; to attempt to grasp something."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "fumble"
},
{
"word": "grope"
},
{
"word": "grubble"
},
{
"word": "root"
},
{
"word": "rummage"
},
{
"word": "feel around"
}
],
"tags": [
"intransitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English intransitive verbs",
"English terms with obsolete senses",
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1727, Peter Longueville, The Hermit, Westminster: T. Warner and B. Creake, Book 3, p. 181",
"text": "[…] he proposes to spend the Afternoon at the Out-side of the Rock, in viewing the Sea, and looking for Oysters; so takes in his Hand his long Staff to grabble in Holes […]",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To search in a similar way using an implement."
],
"links": [
[
"implement",
"implement#Etymology_1"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive, obsolete) To search in a similar way using an implement."
],
"tags": [
"intransitive",
"obsolete"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations",
"English transitive verbs",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "1719, Thomas d'Urfey, “Willey’s Intreague” in Wit and Mirth: or Pills to Purge Melancholy, London: J. Tonson, 1876 reprint, p. 195,\nWhen Nelly tho’ he teiz’d her,\nAnd Grabbled her and Squeez’d her,\nCry’d, stay a little, I vow and swear I could kill ye,\nAnother touch I can bear ye,"
},
{
"ref": "2006, Ruth Francisco, “The Manikin”, in The Secret Memoirs of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: A Novel, New York: St. Martin’s Press, page 299",
"text": "I struggle, confused, frightened, which he mistakes for excitement, grabbling my breasts, scrubbing them in circles as he plunges his tongue.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2008, Lisa Gabriele, chapter 4, in The Almost Archer Sisters, New York: Simon & Schuster, page 47",
"text": "Come here, boys, and let your gorgeous auntie grabble her hairy little monkeys!",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To touch (someone) with one's hands or fingers, sometimes in a sexual way."
],
"links": [
[
"touch",
"touch"
],
[
"sexual",
"sexual"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To touch (someone) with one's hands or fingers, sometimes in a sexual way."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "feel up"
},
{
"word": "fondle"
},
{
"word": "grope"
},
{
"word": "fondle"
}
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations",
"English transitive verbs",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1895, Stephen Crane, “A Mystery of Heroism”, in Maggie: A Girl of the Streets and Selected Stories, New York: Signet, published 1991, page 119",
"text": "He grabbled one of the canteens and, unfastening its cap, swung it down by the cord.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1915, Carolyn Wells, chapter 11, in The White Alley,, Philadelphia: Lippincott",
"text": "“When Cave Men carry off little girls,” she said, “do they throw them over their shoulders,—or just grabble them up under their arms?”",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1934, Angela Thirkell, The Demon in the House, Part 3, Chapter 5",
"text": "“Mother,” said Tony, “you know that spanner that got into the water-butt the day I had my bandaged ankle? It’s here; we can feel it. Can I put on my bathing dress and grabble it up with my feet?”",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1962, Meindert DeJong, chapter 7, in The Singing Hill,, New York: Harper & Row, page 110",
"text": "He […] pulled out one of the apples and rolled it under the fence to the horse. The horse grabbled it up with quivering lips.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To pick (something or someone) up hastily, roughly or clumsily."
],
"links": [
[
"hastily",
"hastily"
],
[
"roughly",
"roughly"
],
[
"clumsily",
"clumsily"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To pick (something or someone) up hastily, roughly or clumsily."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "grab"
},
{
"word": "seize"
},
{
"word": "snatch"
}
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations",
"English transitive verbs",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1989, Nick Cave, And the Ass Saw the Angel, New York: HarperPaperbacks, published 1992, Book 2, Chapter 12, p. 228",
"text": "The flailing mob of forty-fold took turns at throwing, each trying to lasso the sinking beast as it grabbled the air in blind terror in an attempt to keep its forelegs above the surface.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To attempt to grab; to grasp at (something)."
],
"links": [
[
"grasp",
"grasp"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To attempt to grab; to grasp at (something)."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "clutch"
},
{
"word": "grip"
},
{
"word": "grasp"
}
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations",
"English transitive verbs"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "1865, W. W. McCarty, “History of Captain W. W. McCarty’s Prison Life, and Southern Prisons,” in History of the 78th Regiment O.V.V.I., Zanesville, OH: Hugh Dunne, p. 302,\n[…] Harry went into the potato patch and grabbled us some sweet potatoes […]"
},
{
"ref": "1902, Martha McCulloch-Williams, chapter 9, in Next to the Ground: Chronicles of a Countryside, New York: McClure, Philips, pages 203–204",
"text": "Going through the woods, he grabbled acorns from under the snow, thinking to fling them in the hogshead, and find out if the jays would really eat them.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"text": "1910, J. C. Cooper (ed.), Walnut Growing in Oregon, Passenger Department, Portland, OR: Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co., Southern Pacific Company Lines in Oregon, p. 17,\nOne grower had a bed of hybrid black walnuts. The season was late and when the ground was ready for planting many had started to grow. He engaged some boys to grabble out the nuts from the sand beds, urging care, but many of the best were broken and injured."
},
{
"text": "1924, United States Department of Labor, Child Labor and the Work of Mothers on Norfolk Truck Farms, Bureau Publication No. 30, Washington: Government Printing Office, p. 11,\nThe potatoes […] are then lifted out of the soil by hand—“scratched,” “graveled,” or “grabbled” out, according to the idioms of the colored workers […]"
},
{
"ref": "1956, William L. Crosthwait, Ernest G. Fischer, “Off to the War”, in The Last Stitch, Philadelphia: Lippincott, page 194",
"text": "I said, “Uncle, how would you like to be up in that airplane?”\nHe said, “No, sah, I never wants to be higher than picking peaches and no lower than grabbling goobers.”",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To pull, lift or dig (something) (out of the ground) by searching with one's hands and fingers."
],
"links": [
[
"pull",
"pull"
],
[
"lift",
"lift"
],
[
"dig",
"dig"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To pull, lift or dig (something) (out of the ground) by searching with one's hands and fingers."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "grub"
}
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with obsolete senses",
"English terms with quotations",
"English transitive verbs"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1596, William Clowes, “The cure of Lues Venerea”, in A Profitable and Necessarie Booke of Obseruations, London: Thomas Dawson, page 181",
"text": "[…] set all these togither on the fire, & boile them till the wine and water be consumed, and that the flesh and bones be separated a sunder, that you may with a paire of tongs grabble out the bones from the rest, thus let it be taken off and pressed through a piece of canuas, and keepe it to your use.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To lift (something) out in a similar way using an implement."
],
"links": [
[
"implement",
"implement#Etymology_1"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive, obsolete) To lift (something) out in a similar way using an implement."
],
"tags": [
"obsolete",
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English intransitive verbs",
"English terms with quotations",
"English transitive verbs"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1868, J. C. Wilcocks, The Sea-Fisherman, 2nd edition, London: Longmans, Green, page 125",
"text": "You will also take many Flounders […] without a boat, in the drains and watercourses of embanked lands, and even with your hands, for the fish will often seek shelter under your feet if wading; this latter method is termed ‘Grabbling.’",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1911, S. J. Kennerly, chapter 14, in The Story of Sam Tag, New York: The Cosmopolitan Press, page 149",
"text": "“Now watch me,” said Uncle Huse, “and I’ll show you how to grabble fish.” Slowly his hand went down among the fish. “Look,” said he, “I am going to yank out de larges’.”",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1930, William Faulkner, “Vardaman”, in As I Lay Dying, New York: Vintage, published 1964, page 143",
"text": "[…] in the water she could go faster than a man and Darl had to grabble for her […]",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1994, Clyde Bolton, chapter 1, in The Lost Sunshine, Montgomery, AL: Black Belt Press, page 12",
"text": "I told her about grabbling—reaching under rocks at the shoals of the river and pulling out catfish.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To catch fish by reaching into the water with one's hand."
],
"links": [
[
"transitive",
"transitive"
],
[
"intransitive",
"intransitive"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive, intransitive, now Southeastern US) To catch fish by reaching into the water with one's hand."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "noodle"
}
],
"tags": [
"Southeastern",
"US",
"intransitive",
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English intransitive verbs",
"English terms with obsolete senses",
"English terms with quotations",
"English transitive verbs"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1840, uncredited author, chapter 8, in The Sportsman in Ireland, with His Summer Tour through the Highlands of Scotland, volume 2, London: Henry Colburn, page 109",
"text": "It was just after such a day that I grabbled fifty of the best salmon I ever saw—all fresh run from the sea.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To fish on the grabble."
],
"links": [
[
"transitive",
"transitive"
],
[
"intransitive",
"intransitive"
],
[
"fish",
"fish"
],
[
"grabble",
"grabble#Noun"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To fish on the grabble."
],
"tags": [
"intransitive",
"obsolete",
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English intransitive verbs",
"English terms with quotations",
"English transitive verbs"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1868, Sheridan Le Fanu, “Squire Toby’s Will”, in Best Ghost Stories of J. S. Le Fanu, New York: Dover, published 1964, page 17",
"text": "[…] there was instantly a dreadful confusion and uproar in the room, and such a grabbling and laughing; he could not catch the words […]",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1941, Ngaio Marsh, chapter 17, in Death of a Peer, New York: Jove Books, published 1980, page 253",
"text": "“We are very grateful to you for coming, sir,” said Alleyn.\n“Not at all, not at all,” grabbled Mr. Rattisbon. “Shocking affair. Dreadful.”",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1979, Lawrence Kamarck, chapter 14, in Informed Sources, New York: Dial, page 120",
"text": "Who the hell were all these bastards? Grabbling like a bunch of monkeys, talking gibberish.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To utter inarticulate sounds, often quickly and loudly; to say (something) quickly, idly or foolishly."
],
"links": [
[
"transitive",
"transitive"
],
[
"intransitive",
"intransitive"
],
[
"utter",
"utter"
],
[
"inarticulate",
"inarticulate"
],
[
"say",
"say"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive, intransitive) To utter inarticulate sounds, often quickly and loudly; to say (something) quickly, idly or foolishly."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "babble"
},
{
"word": "gabble"
},
{
"word": "gibber"
},
{
"word": "jabber"
}
],
"tags": [
"intransitive",
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English intransitive verbs",
"English terms with obsolete senses",
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "1584, uncredited translator (attributed to Barnabe Rich), The Famous Hystory of Herodotus, London: Thomas Marshe, Book 2,\n[…] they conduct hym to the hygh way that leadeth to the temple of the goddesse Ceres, where after they haue placed hym, they leaue hym grabling in that place, and departe their waye."
},
{
"ref": "1637, James Day, “On contempt of the World”, in A New Spring of Divine Poetrie, London: Humphry Blunden, page 40",
"roman": "Thy selfe by grabbling on a dunghill soyle:",
"text": "A Loft O Soule; soare up, doe not turmoyle",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1679, John Bunyan, A Treatise of the Fear of God, London: N. Ponder, page 201",
"text": "And this is the reason that we so often lie grabling under the black, and amazing thoughts that are engendred in our hearts by unbelief:",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To lie prostrate; to sprawl on the ground."
],
"links": [
[
"prostrate",
"prostrate"
],
[
"sprawl",
"sprawl"
],
[
"ground",
"ground"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive, obsolete) To lie prostrate; to sprawl on the ground."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "grovel"
}
],
"tags": [
"intransitive",
"obsolete"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈɡɹæbl̩/"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-grabble.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/cd/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-grabble.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-grabble.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/cd/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-grabble.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-grabble.wav.ogg",
"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "tǎrsja pipneškom",
"sense": "to grope",
"word": "търся пипнешком"
},
{
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "to grope",
"word": "hārau"
},
{
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "to grope",
"word": "whāwhā"
}
],
"word": "grabble"
}
{
"categories": [
"English 2-syllable words",
"English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English reporting verbs",
"English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
"English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *gʰrebʰ-",
"English terms suffixed with -le",
"English terms with IPA pronunciation",
"English terms with audio links",
"English uncountable nouns",
"English verbs"
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*gʰrebʰ-"
},
"expansion": "[Template:root]",
"name": "root"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "grab",
"3": "le"
},
"expansion": "grab + -le",
"name": "suffix"
}
],
"etymology_text": "grab + -le",
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "-"
},
"expansion": "grabble (uncountable)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"grab‧ble"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English terms with obsolete senses",
"English terms with quotations",
"English terms with usage examples"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "To lay / fish (up)on the grabble",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "1740, chapter 11, in John Williamson, editor, The British Angler, London: J. Hodges, page 223",
"text": "Some advise to angle for the common Eel upon the Grabble […]",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A method of fishing using a line with several hooks fastened to it along with a lead weight so that the hooks sit on the bottom."
],
"links": [
[
"fishing",
"fishing"
],
[
"line",
"fishing line"
],
[
"hook",
"hook"
],
[
"fasten",
"fasten"
],
[
"lead",
"lead"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(obsolete) A method of fishing using a line with several hooks fastened to it along with a lead weight so that the hooks sit on the bottom."
],
"tags": [
"obsolete",
"uncountable"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈɡɹæbl̩/"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-grabble.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/cd/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-grabble.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-grabble.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/cd/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-grabble.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-grabble.wav.ogg",
"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"word": "grabble"
}
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-17 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-01 using wiktextract (0b52755 and 5cb0836). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.