To Grasp

To grasp

Origin

Proto-IE: ghrebh- (1.to seize, reach; 2. to dig, to scratch, to scrape)

Proto-G: grap-/grab-

OE: græpsan (to touch, feel), grapian (to touch, feel, grope), græppian (to seize)

Meaning in English

originally: "To reach for, feel around" – compare to OE græpsan, in English from 14.C

1.seize and hold firmly – from mid. 16.C

2.take (an opportunity eagerly) – from 17.C

3.comprehend fully

Relevance

Great number of contemporary words from various Indo-European languages has the same origin in Proto-IE ghrebh. Proto-slavonic had grebq, gre(b)ti (from the 2nd meaning of ghrebh)

Czech - hrabat, hrob

German - grab (grave)

in OE grafan (to dig) - replaced by 'dig'

Related Words

grab – from the same PIE root ghrebh – it retained its original meaning – in English from late 16. C.

grope