Grasped
/ɡræspst/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo seize or hold something tightly.
/ɡræspst/
To seize or hold firmly.
She grasped the opportunity to speak.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're holding a balloon and the wind is trying to take it. If you GRASP it, you hold onto it really tight so it doesn't fly away! It's like when you hold a toy or a person's hand.
👶 For kids: To hold something really, really tight with your hands.
More Examples
The climber grasped the ledge with both hands.
He grasped her arm to stop her from falling.
How It's Used
"He grasped the rope tightly."
"The child grasped his mother's hand."
To understand something completely or to perceive the meaning of something.
/ɡræspst/
To understand something.
He finally grasped the instructions.
💡 Simply: Think of a puzzle! If you GRASP the solution, it's like you 'get' how all the pieces fit together and understand the whole picture. It's understanding something, not just seeing it.
👶 For kids: To understand something, like a secret or a game rule.
More Examples
She grasped the significance of his words.
I struggled, but eventually I grasped the idea.
How It's Used
"I finally grasped the concept after the explanation."
"She grasped the gravity of the situation."
Idioms & expressions
grasp at straws
To try to find a solution or success in a desperate situation, even if it's unlikely to work.
"With the company facing bankruptcy, they were grasping at straws, trying any possible solution."
From Middle English graspen, from Old English græppian ('to seize, clutch'). Related to grip.
Used in various forms in literature and everyday speech since the Old English period.
Memory tip
Think of a hand GRASPING something firmly.