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Definition grapple

Etymology 1

From Middle English *grapplen (“to seize, lay hold of”), from Old English *græpplian (“to seize”) (compare Old English ?egræppian (“to seize”)), from Proto-Germanic *graipil?n?, *grabbal?n? (“to seize”), from Proto-Indo-European *ghreb(h)-, *ghrab(h)- (“to take, seize, rake”), equivalent to grab +‎ -le. Cognate with Dutch grabbelen (“to grope, scramble, scrabble”), German grabbeln (“to rummage, grope about”) and grapsen, grapschen (“to seize, grasp, grabble”). Influenced in some senses by grapple (“tool with claws or hooks”, noun) (see below). See further at grasp.

Verb

grapple (third-person singular simple present grapples, present participle grappling, simple past and past participle grappled)

1. (transitive) To seize something and hold it firmly.
2. (transitive, figuratively, normally with with) To ponder and intensely evaluate a problem.
3. (transitive) To fasten, as with a grapple; to fix; to join indissolubly.
4. (intransitive) To use a grapple.
5. (intransitive) To wrestle or tussle.

Etymology 2

From Middle English *grapple, *graple, from Old French grappil (“a ship's grapple”) (compare Old French grappin (“hook”)), from Old French grape, grappe, crape (“hook”), of Germanic origin, from Old Frankish *krapp? (“hook”), from Proto-Germanic *krappô, *krapp? (“hook”), from Proto-Indo-European *grep- (“hook”), *gremb- (“crooked, uneven”), from Proto-Indo-European *ger- (“to turn, bend, twist”). See further at grape.

Noun

grapple (countable and uncountable, plural grapples)

1. A tool with claws or hooks which is used to catch or hold something.
   1. (nautical) A device consisting of iron claws, attached to the end of a rope, used for grasping and holding an enemy ship prior to boarding; a grappling iron.
   2. (nautical) A grapnel (“type of anchor”).
2. A close hand-to-hand struggle.
3. (uncountable) The act of grappling.

Verb

grapple (third-person singular simple present grapples, present participle grappling, simple past and past participle grappled)

1. (transitive or intransitive) To climb.

Results 157 Words with the letters GRAPPLE

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