stab

Phonetics

/stæb/

noun

An act of stabbing or thrusting with an object.
A wound made by stabbing.
Pain inflicted on a person's feelings.
An attempt.
Criticism.
A single staccato chord that adds dramatic impact to a composition.
Example: a horn stab
A bacterial culture made by inoculating a solid medium, such as gelatin, with the puncture of a needle or wire.

verb

To pierce or to wound (somebody) with a pointed tool or weapon, especially a knife or dagger.
Example: If you stab him in the heart he won't live long enough to retaliate.
To thrust in a stabbing motion.
Example: to stab a dagger into a person
To recklessly hit with the tip of a pointed object, such as a weapon or finger (often used with at).
Example: He stabbed at my face with the twig but luckily kept missing my eyes.
To cause a sharp, painful sensation (often used with at).
Example: The snow from the blizzard was stabbing at my face as I skied down the mountain.
To injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander.
Example: to stab a person's reputation
To roughen a brick wall with a pick so as to hold plaster.
To pierce folded sheets, near their back edges, for the passage of thread or wire.

Meaning of stab in English | Powered by Free Dictionary API