grapple

English

Wikipedia

Alternative forms

• graple (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈɡɹæp.əl/, SAMPA: /"gr{p.@l/

  Rhymes: -æpəl

Etymology 1

From Middle English *grapplen (“to seize, lay hold of”), from Old English *græpplian (“to seize”) (compare Old English ġegræppian (“to seize”)), from Proto-Germanic *graipilōnan, *grabbalōnan (“to seize”), from Proto-Indo-European *ghreb(h)-, *ghrab(h)- (“to take, seize, rake”). Cognate with Dutch grabbelen (“to grope, scramble, scrabble”), German grabbeln (“to rummage, grope about”), German grapsen, grapschen (“to seize, grasp, grabble”). Influenced in some senses by grapple (“hook”, noun) (see below). More at grasp.

Verb

grapple (third-person singular simple present grapples, present participle grappling, simple past and past participle grappled)

1. (transitive) to seize something and hold it firmly
2. (transitive) (figuratively) to ponder and intensely evaluate a problem; normally used with "with".
   • To fail to grapple with one's conscious is to see the conscious weaken.
3. (intransitive) to use a grapple
4. (intransitive) to wrestle or tussle

Etymology 2

From Middle English *grapple, *graple, from Old French grappil (“a ship's grapple”) (compare Old French grappin (“hook”)), from Old French grape, grappe, crape (“hook”), of Germanic origin, from Old Low Frankish *krappo (“hook”), from Proto-Germanic *krappô, *krappan (“hook”), from Proto-Indo-European *grep- (“hook”), *gremb- (“crooked, uneven”), from Proto-Indo-European *ger- (“to turn, bend, twist”). More at grape.

Noun

grapple (countable and uncountable; plural grapples)

1. (nautical) a device consisting of iron claws, attached to the end of a rope, used for grasping and holding an enemy ship prior to boarding; a grapnel or grappling iron
2. (uncountable) the act of grappling
3. a close hand-to-hand struggle

Translations

grappling iron

Dutch:enterhaak (nl) French: grappin (fr) m.

Italian: rampino (it) m., raffio (it) m.

the act of grappling

Dutch:entering (nl) French:abordage (fr) m.

Italian: presa (it) f., stretta (it) f.

a close hand-to-hand struggle

Dutch:worsteling (nl) French: lutte (fr) f., combat (fr) m.

Italian: lotta (it) f.