v. & n.
--v.
1. tr. a clutch at; seize greedily. b hold firmly; grip.
2 intr. (foll. by at) try to seize; accept avidly.
3 tr. understand or realize (a fact or meaning).
--n.
1. a firm hold; a grip.
2 (foll. by of) a mastery or control (a grasp of the situation). b a mental hold or understanding (a grasp of the facts).
3 mental agility (a quick grasp).
Phrases and idioms:
grasp at a straw see STRAW. grasp the nettle tackle a difficulty boldly. within one's grasp capable of being grasped or comprehended by one.
Derivatives:
graspable adj. grasper n.
Etymology: ME graspe, grapse perh. f. OE gr{aelig}psan (unrecorded) f. Gmc, rel. to GROPE: cf. LG grapsen