Pronunciations (2)
-
/stæb/
-
stæb
Noun
An act of stabbing or thrusting with an object to hurt or kill someone.
- Examples
-
A knife was flashing in his hand, and just as he was about to take a stab at me, the smith grabbed his arm from behind.
A wound made by stabbing.
- Examples
-
More examples (1)
I opened the man's linen robe, and there over his heart was a dagger-wound, and beneath the woman's fair breast was a like cruel stab, through which her life had ebbed away.
Pain inflicted on a person's feelings.
- Examples
-
More examples (1)
“I bet you two have really big plans. And might I say, that is just fab,” he said of Lynn's dress. “I'm glad someone noticed,” she replied, seeming to take a stab at me.
An attempt.
Usage- Informal
- Examples
-
I'll give this thankless task a stab.
More examples (1)
As yet, we don't know what the comparable figures will be like for the current financial year which ends in March 2022, but we can have a good stab at approximating them.
Criticism.
A single staccato chord that adds dramatic impact to a composition.
- Examples
-
a horn stab
A bacterial culture made by inoculating a solid medium, such as gelatin, with the puncture of a needle or wire.
Verb
To pierce or to wound (somebody) with a (usually pointed) tool or weapon, especially a knife or dagger.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
-
If you stab him in the heart he won't live long enough to retaliate.
More examples (2)
"There the cause of death was soon ascertained ; the victim of this daring outrage had been stabbed to death from ear to ear with a long, sharp instrument, in shape like an antique stiletto, which […] was subsequently found under the cushions of the hansom.[…]"
Hornet blazed away as best she could, but, having to split her attention between high and low attackers, as well as having the aft 5-inch battery temporarily disabled by a young officer who'd accidentally run the guns into their stops, freezing them in position until the issue could be sorted, meant that two 550-pound semi-armor-piercing bombs, and one fractionally-lighter high-explosive bomb, soon crashed down, the first two stabbing deep into the ship and the other one blowing a hole in the flight deck, accompanied by a dive bomber that had been shot down but elected to go out by slamming into the Hornet as opposed to the sea. In some small comfort, that aircraft's bomb didn't go off as well.
To thrust in a stabbing motion.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
-
to stab a dagger into a person
To recklessly hit with the tip of a (usually pointed) object, such as a weapon or finger (often used with at).
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
-
He stabbed at my face with the twig but luckily kept missing my eyes.
None shall dare / With shortened sword to stab in closer war.
More examples (1)
Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale; to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee.
To cause a sharp, painful sensation (often used with at).
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
-
The snow from the blizzard was stabbing at my face as I skied down the mountain.
To injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander.
Usage- Figurative
- Transitive
- Examples
-
to stab a person's reputation
To roughen a brick wall with a pick so as to hold plaster.
Usage- Transitive
To pierce folded sheets, near their back edges, for the passage of thread or wire.
Usage- Transitive
To guide the end of a pipe into a coupling when making up a connection.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
-
[O]ne of the derrickman's jobs is to "stab" the pipe.
Noun
The horizontal or vertical stabilizer of an aircraft.
Usage- Slang
- Examples
-
If the pilots used electric pitch trim, it would only pause MCAS for 5s; to deactivate it you have to switch off the STAB TRIM CUTOUT switches.
Noun
a sudden sharp feeling
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
pangs of regret
she felt a stab of excitement
More examples (1)
twinges of conscience
a strong blow with a knife or other sharp pointed instrument
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
one strong stab to the heart killed him
informal words for any attempt or effort
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
he gave it his best shot
he took a stab at forecasting
Verb
use a knife on
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
The victim was knifed to death
stab or pierce
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
he jabbed the piece of meat with his pocket knife
poke or thrust abruptly
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
he jabbed his finger into her ribs