The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - grabv.

1) snatch, lay or catch hold of, fasten upon, grasp, seize; catch, grip, clutch; Colloq latch on to, get one's hands or fingers on, nab, US snag: The thief grabbed my purse and ran. She grabbed the railing to break her fall. 2) appropriate, expropriate, seize, commandeer, take over, usurp, arrogate: The general grabbed the reins of government in the coup. 3) arrest, capture, catch, Colloq nab, pinch, collar: The police grabbed him as he was leaving the scene of the crime. --n. 4) snatch, clutch; grasp, grip: I made a grab for the rope.