The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - grasp v.

1) grip, grab, seize, clasp, clutch, snatch, hold, take or lay or catch hold of, Colloq nab: I grasped the rope and was pulled to safety. 2) understand, comprehend, appreciate, catch (on) , get, get the drift or point of, follow, see, realize, apprehend, learn, Colloq make head(s) or tail(s) of, Slang dig: I am trying to grasp the full import of what you are saying. --n. 3) hold, grip, clutches, clasp, embrace, lock: He loosened his grasp on my throat and I could breathe again. 4) possession, control, power, mastery, sovereignty, suzerainty, hold: By then, even the outer islands had fallen within his grasp. 5) understanding, comprehension, apprehension, awareness, perception, sense: He has a poor grasp of the basics of the subject.