Piercing something with a pointed weapon or object; a sharp, sudden pain or feeling; acting in a treacherous way.
From Middle English 'stabben,' possibly from Scandinavian languages. Related to Germanic roots suggesting a jabbing or poking action.
Stabbing can be literally violent or just describe a sharp pain, but Shakespeare used 'backstabber' to describe betrayal—you stab someone in the back figuratively. Language uses the physical action as a metaphor for emotional hurt.
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