grab at

IPA/ɡɹˈab at/
IPA/ɡɹˈæb æt/

grab at — idiom

1. to suddenly move your hand toward a person or thing, hoping to hold or catch it

1.idiomtransitiveB1
Definition

to suddenly move your hand toward a person or thing, hoping to hold or catch it before it gets away

Example

Hugo grabbed at the rope as the boat began to drift from the dock.

grab at + physical object you are trying to catch

The toddler grabbed at the cat's tail, but the cat darted under the sofa.

Common collocations
  • grab at the rail
  • grab at someone's arm
  • grab at the chance
Synonyms
  • snatch at

    also a quick reach, but suggests a sharper, more sudden motion

  • clutch at

    emphasises a desperate or tight grip, often when frightened

  • reach for

    neutral and calmer; no sense of speed or urgency

Grammar Patterns

grab at + noun

Usage Note

Distinguish from the simple verb 'grab': adding 'at' stresses the reaching motion and often suggests the attempt may fail, while 'grab' alone implies you actually took hold of the thing.

Common Mistakes

She grabbed at the keys and put them in her pocket.
She grabbed the keys and put them in her pocket.
use plain 'grab' once you have firmly taken hold of something; 'grab at' is the reaching attempt, not the successful hold.

Etymology

Low GermanEnglish

A combination of the verb 'grab', which entered English in the late 1500s from Low German or Dutch words meaning to seize or grasp, with the preposition 'at'. The 'at' here marks the target of an attempt rather than a completed action, the same pattern seen in 'snatch at' or 'clutch at'.