To Grasp

(přesměrováno z Word 5)

To grasp


Origin [1]

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[2]

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

References

  1. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=grasp
  2. “grasp” The Oxford English Dictionary. www.oed.com 14 Nov. 2014