Quickly seized or took hold of something with your hand, often roughly or urgently.
From Low German 'grabben' or Dutch 'grabben,' related to German 'greifen' (to grasp). Became common in English by the 1600s as a vivid action word.
Grabbed came into English from Low German sailors and traders—it was a practical word for a practical people! The sound of the word itself (with that hard 'b') makes it feel immediate and forceful.
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