Grasp
/ɡræsp/verb
To hold something tightly with your hand.
She grasped the rope and pulled herself up.
verb
To understand something.
Are you able to grasp the concept of this physics theory?
noun
A firm hold or grip.
She has a strong grasp of the tennis racket.
noun
Understanding or comprehension.
You need to have a solid grasp of mathematics to excel in engineering.
Usage tips
Academic
verb
To try to take hold of something.
He grasped for the lifebuoy in the water.
verb
To hold something tightly with your hand.
She grasped the rope and pulled herself up.
verb
To understand something.
Are you able to grasp the concept of this physics theory?
noun
A firm hold or grip.
She has a strong grasp of the tennis racket.
noun
Understanding or comprehension.
You need to have a solid grasp of mathematics to excel in engineering.
Usage tips
Academic
verb
To try to take hold of something.
He grasped for the lifebuoy in the water.
Definition 1 of 5
Pro Tip 1/2Physical action
Grasp as a verb is often used for physical actions involving hands. It implies using fingers to hold on firmly.
Hold the handrail and grasp it firmly as you walk down the slippery stairs.
Pro Tip 2/2Emotional intensity
When grasp is used literally, it can suggest a sense of urgency or importance of the object being held.
In a moment of panic, she grasped my hand tightly.
Compare with
claspclenchclutchcomprehendgrapplegripholdseizeunderstand
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Video examples
David Mackay: A reality...
is driven by the things you can control. The things you can control are the temperature difference between the inside and the outside. There's this remarkable technology called a you grasp it, rotate it to the left, and your energy consumption in the home will decrease. I've tried it. It works. Some people call it a lifestyle change.
Video examples
How to spot a misleading...
can cause massive ecological disruption. This is why the second graph, which show the average temperature variation each year, is far more significant. When they're used well, graphs can help us intuitively grasp complex data. But as visual software has enabled more usage of graphs throughout all media,
Video examples
Why elephants never...
sometimes even outwitting the researchers and manipulating their partners. And they've grasped basic arithmetic, keeping track of the relative amounts of fruit in two baskets after multiple changes. The rare combination of memory and problem solving can explain some of elephants' most clever behaviors,
Video examples
The Infinite Hotel...
the scenarios faced by the ever-diligent and maybe too hospitable night manager serve to remind us of just how hard it is for our relatively finite minds to grasp a concept as large as infinity. Maybe you can help tackle these problems after a good night's sleep. But honestly, we might need you
Video examples
Rediscovering ourselves...
describes that wedge-shaped stone at the top of an arch remove that stone and the arch collapses it is a powerful metaphor elephants termites bees are a keystone species now to get a grasp of the bigger picture it is important that you learn how to understand just a little
Video examples
Why do we dream? - Amy...
We dream to solve problems. Unconstrained by reality and the rules of conventional logic, in your dreams, your mind can create limitless scenarios to help you grasp problems and formulate solutions that you may not consider while awake.
Video examples
Free Solo - Trailer PIPE...
all the time. Oh, would you like to do that? You're like, yes, for sure. MAN So you got a girlfriend now I heard. MAN It's awesome, pretty much makes life better in every way. WOMAN It's really hard for me to grasp why he wants this.
Video examples
Sir David Attenborough...
the way that she can grasp a tool like that the way she uses her brain to imitate what she's seen others doing but the most important thing we share is our big brain it's that that has produced so many of the talents and
Video examples
Attenborough: Amazing...
The skill with which she picks things up. The way that she can grasp a tool like that. How she uses her brain to imitate what she's seen others doing. But the most important thing we share is our big brain.
Video examples
Could your brain repair...
for communication between the nose and brain, and the striatum, which helps manage movement. Scientists don't yet have a good grasp on exactly what role neurogenesis plays in any of these regions,
Video examples
David Mackay: A reality...
is driven by the things you can control. The things you can control are the temperature difference between the inside and the outside. There's this remarkable technology called a you grasp it, rotate it to the left, and your energy consumption in the home will decrease. I've tried it. It works. Some people call it a lifestyle change.
Video examples
How to spot a misleading...
can cause massive ecological disruption. This is why the second graph, which show the average temperature variation each year, is far more significant. When they're used well, graphs can help us intuitively grasp complex data. But as visual software has enabled more usage of graphs throughout all media,
Video examples
Why elephants never...
sometimes even outwitting the researchers and manipulating their partners. And they've grasped basic arithmetic, keeping track of the relative amounts of fruit in two baskets after multiple changes. The rare combination of memory and problem solving can explain some of elephants' most clever behaviors,
Video examples
The Infinite Hotel...
the scenarios faced by the ever-diligent and maybe too hospitable night manager serve to remind us of just how hard it is for our relatively finite minds to grasp a concept as large as infinity. Maybe you can help tackle these problems after a good night's sleep. But honestly, we might need you
Video examples
Rediscovering ourselves...
describes that wedge-shaped stone at the top of an arch remove that stone and the arch collapses it is a powerful metaphor elephants termites bees are a keystone species now to get a grasp of the bigger picture it is important that you learn how to understand just a little
Video examples
Why do we dream? - Amy...
We dream to solve problems. Unconstrained by reality and the rules of conventional logic, in your dreams, your mind can create limitless scenarios to help you grasp problems and formulate solutions that you may not consider while awake.
Video examples
Free Solo - Trailer PIPE...
all the time. Oh, would you like to do that? You're like, yes, for sure. MAN So you got a girlfriend now I heard. MAN It's awesome, pretty much makes life better in every way. WOMAN It's really hard for me to grasp why he wants this.
Video examples
Sir David Attenborough...
the way that she can grasp a tool like that the way she uses her brain to imitate what she's seen others doing but the most important thing we share is our big brain it's that that has produced so many of the talents and
Video examples
Attenborough: Amazing...
The skill with which she picks things up. The way that she can grasp a tool like that. How she uses her brain to imitate what she's seen others doing. But the most important thing we share is our big brain.
Video examples
Could your brain repair...
for communication between the nose and brain, and the striatum, which helps manage movement. Scientists don't yet have a good grasp on exactly what role neurogenesis plays in any of these regions,
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Kary Mullis
American Scientist
My mother often mailed me articles from 'Reader's Digest' about advances in DNA chemistry. No matter how I tried to explain it to her, she never grasped the concept that I could have been writing those articles, that something I had invented made most of those DNA discoveries possible.
Quote examples
Tony Robinson
English Actor
Politicians have been downplaying the importance of history as a subject in our schools but, if they had bothered to have a better grasp of history themselves, they might have avoided costly wars. Instead they act like children. The only time that they think matters is their own.
Quote examples
Hugh Sidey
American Journalist
A sense of humor... is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life.
Quote examples
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
American Athlete
I'm just grasping everything, getting as much knowledge as I can, and continuing to learn and not being afraid to take challenges and actually take action.
Quote examples
Ilaiyaraaja
Indian Musician
I had difficulty in grasping how music was made for films. It was a huge learning curve and the toughest phase of my life.
Quote examples
Sarah Harrison
British Journalist
If our governments are so compromised that they will not tell us the truth, then we must step forward to grasp it.
Quote examples
Gary Cahill
English Athlete
There's opportunities you get that you want to grasp with both hands and you have to cherish them.
Quote examples
Tana Mongeau
American Celebrity
Getting a good grasp of your life and what's going on around you is so important.
Quote examples
Wilma Rudolph
American Athlete
Sometimes it takes years to really grasp what has happened to your life.
Quote examples
Jacob Bronowski
English Scientist
The world can only be grasped by action, not by contemplation.
Quote examples
Kary Mullis
American Scientist
My mother often mailed me articles from 'Reader's Digest' about advances in DNA chemistry. No matter how I tried to explain it to her, she never grasped the concept that I could have been writing those articles, that something I had invented made most of those DNA discoveries possible.
Quote examples
Tony Robinson
English Actor
Politicians have been downplaying the importance of history as a subject in our schools but, if they had bothered to have a better grasp of history themselves, they might have avoided costly wars. Instead they act like children. The only time that they think matters is their own.
Quote examples
Hugh Sidey
American Journalist
A sense of humor... is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life.
Quote examples
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
American Athlete
I'm just grasping everything, getting as much knowledge as I can, and continuing to learn and not being afraid to take challenges and actually take action.
Quote examples
Ilaiyaraaja
Indian Musician
I had difficulty in grasping how music was made for films. It was a huge learning curve and the toughest phase of my life.
Quote examples
Sarah Harrison
British Journalist
If our governments are so compromised that they will not tell us the truth, then we must step forward to grasp it.
Quote examples
Gary Cahill
English Athlete
There's opportunities you get that you want to grasp with both hands and you have to cherish them.
Quote examples
Tana Mongeau
American Celebrity
Getting a good grasp of your life and what's going on around you is so important.
Quote examples
Wilma Rudolph
American Athlete
Sometimes it takes years to really grasp what has happened to your life.
Quote examples
Jacob Bronowski
English Scientist
The world can only be grasped by action, not by contemplation.
Example 1 of 10
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