ɡrɑ:sp 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). øgrasp at a
straw see STRAW. grasp the
nettle tackle a
difficulty boldly.
within one's grasp
capable of
being grasped or comprehended by
one. øøgraspable adj. grasper n. [ME graspe, grapse perh. f. OE grópsan (unrecorded) f. Gmc, rel. to
GROPE:
cf. LG grapsen]