To pierce or wound something with a pointed weapon like a knife.
From Middle English 'stabbe,' possibly from Scandinavian roots. First appeared in English around 1300s, originally meaning a deep wound.
The word 'stab' has an interesting double life—it means both a violent action AND a casual attempt ('a stab at it'), showing how English reuses violent verbs metaphorically!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.