{
    "term": "grab",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "grab",
            "heSheIt": "grabs"
        },
        "pastSimple": "grabbed",
        "pastParticiple": "grabbed",
        "ingForm": "grabbing"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to take or hold somebody/something with your hand suddenly or roughly",
            "sensetop": "grab somebody/somethinggrab somebody/something by somethinggrab something from somebody/something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She grabbed his arm as he got up to leave.",
                    "contextForm": "grab somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She grabbed the child's hand and ran."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He **grabbed hold of** me and wouldn't let go."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Someone grabbed me from behind."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He grabbed Tom by the collar and dragged him outside.",
                    "contextForm": "grab somebody/something by something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Jim grabbed a cake from the plate.",
                    "contextForm": "grab something from somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Don't grab—there's plenty for everyone."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He grabbed hold of a handrail to save himself from falling."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Somebody tried to grab her handbag from her."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["suddenly", "quickly"],
                "verb + grab": ["try to", "manage to"],
                "preposition": ["at", "by", "from"],
                "phrases": ["grab hold of something"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to try to take hold of something",
            "sensetop": "grab at somethinggrab for something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She grabbed at the branch, missed and fell.",
                    "contextForm": "grab at something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I grabbed at his arm as he ran past."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Kate grabbed for the robber's gun.",
                    "contextForm": "grab for something"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["suddenly", "quickly"],
                "verb + grab": ["try to", "manage to"],
                "preposition": ["at", "by", "from"],
                "phrases": ["grab hold of something"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to take advantage of an opportunity to do or have something",
            "sensetop": "grab somethinggrab at something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "This was my big chance and I grabbed it with both hands.",
                    "contextForm": "grab something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He'll grab at any excuse to avoid doing the dishes.",
                    "contextForm": "grab at something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He'll grab at any excuse to avoid hard work."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to have or take something quickly, especially because you are in a hurry",
            "sensetop": "grab something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Let's grab a sandwich before we go."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'll grab a bite to eat in town."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Grab a cab and get over here."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I managed to grab a couple of hours' sleep on the plane."
                },
                {
                    "text": "**Grab a seat**, I won't keep you a moment."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["suddenly", "quickly"],
                "verb + grab": ["try to", "manage to"],
                "preposition": ["at", "by", "from"],
                "phrases": ["grab hold of something"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "to take something for yourself, especially in a selfish or greedy way",
            "sensetop": "grab something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "By the time we arrived, someone had grabbed all the good seats."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She's always trying to grab the limelight."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "to get somebody’s attention",
            "sensetop": "grab somebody/something",
            "cefr": "c2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I'll see if I can grab the waitress and get the bill."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Glasgow’s drugs problem has **grabbed the headlines tonight** *(= been published as an important story in the newspapers)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The play grabs the audience’s attention from the very start."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Feelings"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "to take a picture from a television or video film, or from a computer screen, and store it as an image on a computer",
            "sensetop": "grab something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "You can use this keyboard shortcut to grab part of the screen."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used to ask somebody whether they are interested in something or in doing something",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "How does the idea of a trip to Rome grab you?"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɡræb/",
                "audio": "gr/grab/grab__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɡræbz/",
                "audio": "gr/grab/grabs__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɡræbd/",
                "audio": "gr/grab/grabbed__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈɡræbɪŋ/",
                "audio": "gr/grab/grabbing__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɡræb/",
                "audio": "gr/grab/grab__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɡræbz/",
                "audio": "gr/grab/grabs__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɡræbd/",
                "audio": "gr/grab/grabbed__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈɡræbɪŋ/",
                "audio": "gr/grab/grabbing__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late 16th cent.: from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch grabben; perhaps related to grip, gripe, and grope."
}