grasp

I UK [ɡrɑːsp] / US [ɡræsp] verb [transitive]
Word forms "grasp":
present tense I/you/we/they grasp he/she/it grasps present participle grasping past tense grasped past participle grasped
**

1) to take and hold something or someone very tightly

She grasped his hand and pulled him towards her.

grasp someone by the shoulders/arm/wrist etc:

He grasped her firmly by the shoulders.

2) to understand something

He was finding it difficult to grasp the rules of the game.

grasp the meaning/significance of something:

You should try to grasp the meaning of whole sentences.

grasp a concept/principle/point:

Charlie grasped the point at once.

3) to take advantage of an opportunity when it happens

We must grasp every opportunity if we are going to succeed.

He had failed to grasp his one chance of happiness.

Phrasal verbs:

- grasp at

See:

nettle I

II UK [ɡrɑːsp] / US [ɡræsp] noun [singular] *

1) the ability to understand something

have/get a grasp of something:

The government has no grasp of their suffering.

a good/firm/poor grasp of something:

She has a good grasp of English.

be beyond someone's grasp (= be impossible for someone to understand):

The tasks were beyond the intellectual grasp of many pupils.

2) the ability to achieve something

within/in someone's grasp:

Victory was now within their grasp.

beyond/out of someone's grasp:

Peace was not completely beyond his grasp.

slip from someone's grasp (= become impossible for someone to achieve):

Just when the game seemed to be slipping from their grasp, they scored a vital goal.

3) a very tight hold of someone or something

Suddenly he broke free from her grasp.

4) power that someone has over someone or something

He kept the reins of power firmly in his grasp.