stab Hear it!

stab Definition

stab (stab)

noun

  1. a wound made by piercing with a knife, dagger, or other pointed weapon
  2. a thrust, as with a knife or dagger
  3. a sudden sensation of anguish or pain

Etymology: ME stabbe, prob. < stobbe, var. of stubbe, stub

transitive verb stabbed, stab′·bing

  1. to pierce or wound with or as with a knife, etc.
  2. to thrust or plunge (a knife, etc.) into something
  3. to go into in a sharp, thrusting way

intransitive verb

  1. to make a thrust or piercing wound with or as with a knife
  2. to feel like a knife stabbing: said of pain

stab Related Forms
stab′·ber noun
stab Idioms

make a stab at

or take a stab at☆ Informal

to make an attempt at

stab in the back

  1. to harm (someone) by treachery
  2. an act of betrayal
stab Synonyms

stab

n.

thrust, prick, cut, hurt, knife thrust, bayonet thrust, wound, puncture, blow, piercing, stick, transfixion.

make a stab at

endeavor, try to, do one's best; see try 1.

stab Synonyms

stab

v.

transfix, pierce, wound, stick, cut, hurt, thrust, prick, drive, puncture, hit, bayonet, saber, knife; see also kill 1.

stab Usage Examples

Object

  • pain: A kind of sudden stabbing pain into the center of my breast.
  • sensation: Finally, the pain associated with lung problems tends to create a stabbing sensation whenever you cough or take a deep breath.
  • sword: Like my own shade She followed after me, And from her stabbing, stinging sword No moment was I free.

Preposition: as

  • amnesty: Woman stabbed as amnesty launched Sex offender goes missing Media publisher provides charity.. .

Adjective modifier

  • brave: Caffé Uno makes a brave stab at both offering traditional Italian fare and the tourist friendly salads, baked potatoes and the like.
  • decent: Solid and dependable rather than particularly thrilling or exciting, a decent enough stab at hard rock glory.
  • fatal: It was at this point that she collapsed from her injuries, a fatal stab wound to her chest.

Modifies a noun

  • wound: The Judge said: " There were 14 stab wounds which was a fiendish attack on an elderly lady.
  • incision: Consider packing the bleeding area with a 6 meter pack, led out of the abdomen via a separate stab incision.
  • vest: Officers wore protective clothing and stab vests as they searched the homes, but were not armed, a police spokesman said.
  • jacket: In the stern of a dive kayak is a place where you can stow your cylinder and stab jacket.

Modifying Another Word

  • fatally: A woman who fatally stabbed her abusive husband had her murder conviction quashed by the court of appeal today.
  • repeatedly: Mahir, of Adelaide Road, was stabbed repeatedly in the brutal attack in the heart of busy Camden Town.

Noun used with modifier

  • horn: Laid back funkiness with gentle guitar and gentle horn stabs.
  • guitar: The rhythms, tone, handclaps, guitar stabs and other ornamentation are so close it's almost spooky.

Preposition: in

  • chest: She was repeatedly stabbed in the chest, gut and legs.
  • neck: Miss Laing was stabbed in the neck with a broken beer glass.
  • throat: Unfortunately, she was re-captured and still refusing to honor pagan gods, she was stabbed in the throat and beheaded.
  • dark: Go on, have a stab in the dark.

Preposition: with

  • knife: A 24 year old man had been stabbed with a kitchen knife.
stab Quotes

I saw him stab And stab again A well-killed Boche.

—Read, Sir Herbert Edward

If somebody's gonna stab me in the back, I wanna be there.

—Lamport, Allan

Ich glaube, mann sollte u«  berhaupt nur solche Bu«  cher lesen, die einen beiÞen und stechen. I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound and stab us.

—Kafka, Franz