grasp
/ɡrɑːsp/ (bre, ipa) · /ɡræsp/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgrasp/ (ame, mw)
grasp — verb
- grasppresent simple I / you / we / they
- graspshe / she / it
- graspedpast simple
- grasping-ing form
1. to take hold of something firmly with the hand or hands, especially in a quick o
to take hold of something firmly with the hand or hands, especially in a quick or sudden motion
The toddler grasped his mother's finger tightly as they crossed the busy street.
grasp + noun phrase for physical hold
Amara grasped the railing just in time to stop herself from falling down the stairs.
Wei grasped the handle of her heavy suitcase and lifted it onto the luggage rack.
The climber grasped the edge of the rock with both hands before pulling himself up.
Kwame grasped the slippery fish with both hands before it could escape back into the river.
文法句型
grasp + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense is almost always transitive and takes a concrete physical object such as a body part, a handle, or an edge.
常見錯誤
2. to eagerly accept and make use of an opportunity, offer, or chance the moment it
to eagerly accept and make use of an opportunity, offer, or chance the moment it appears
When the job opened up in Tokyo, Elena grasped the chance to work abroad without hesitation.
grasp + chance / opportunity
The small company grasped every opportunity to sell its products in new Asian markets.
Deepak grasped the offer to study medicine at a top university in Singapore.
After years of small theatre roles, Nora finally grasped the lead part in a major film.
The team grasped their second chance at the championship and trained harder than ever before.
文法句型
grasp + noun phrase (opportunity/chance/offer)
用法筆記
The object is usually an abstract noun such as opportunity, chance, offer, or invitation. Not used with physical objects in this sense.
常見錯誤
3. to understand something difficult or complicated after thinking about it careful
to understand something difficult or complicated after thinking about it carefully — for example, grasping why a plan failed, or grasping how a machine works
It took the students a whole term to grasp the basic rules of quantum physics.
grasp + noun phrase for understanding
The manager quickly grasped why the sales figures had dropped so sharply that quarter.
grasp + wh-clause
Siti finally grasped the main idea of the novel after reading it a second time.
Lucia could not grasp how the old clock mechanism worked even with the manual open.
The children quickly grasped the rules of the board game and began playing on their own.
- understand
the most common and neutral word; grasp implies effort and a sense of 'getting' the main point
- comprehend
more formal than grasp; suggests full, detailed understanding
- fathom
suggests understanding something mysterious or hard to reach; less common
- misunderstand
to understand incorrectly
- miss
to fail to notice or understand a point
文法句型
grasp + noun phrase
grasp + wh-clause
常見錯誤
grasp — noun
1. the act of holding something firmly, or the way in which something is held, espe
the act of holding something firmly, or the way in which something is held, especially with the hand
The old man kept a tight grasp on his walking stick as he walked down the icy path.
a tight grasp on + noun phrase
Fatima loosened her grasp on the rope and the bucket fell back into the well.
loosen / tighten + grasp
The child's grasp on the balloon was too weak, and it flew away into the sky.
Diego felt his grasp slipping as the wet fish struggled wildly in his hands.
Mei took a firm grasp of the ladder before climbing up to the roof.
- release
the act of letting go
文法句型
a grasp on/of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often modified by adjectives like firm, tight, strong, or weak. Common in phrases such as 'keep a grasp on' and 'lose your grasp'.
常見錯誤
2. the ability to obtain, achieve, or keep something that one wants or desires
the ability to obtain, achieve, or keep something that one wants or desires
A gold medal at the Olympics was finally within the runner's grasp after years of hard training.
within someone's grasp
Hassan watched his dream of owning a home slip from his grasp when the bank refused the loan.
slip from someone's grasp
A peaceful solution to the conflict seemed just beyond their grasp after months of talks.
The championship title remained just out of their grasp for yet another season.
The promotion was within Kavita’s grasp, but she needed one final push to reach it.
文法句型
within someone's grasp
beyond someone's grasp
用法筆記
Almost always used in fixed prepositional phrases (within/beyond/out of someone's grasp) rather than as a standalone noun. Not used with an article in this sense.
常見錯誤
3. the level of understanding or knowledge that someone has about a subject, situat
the level of understanding or knowledge that someone has about a subject, situation, or skill
The professor had an impressive grasp of ancient Chinese history and literature.
a grasp of + subject area
Ananya's grasp of the new software improved greatly after the two-day training course.
A good manager needs a firm grasp of both the technical and human sides of a project.
The student showed a surprisingly deep grasp of complex economic theories for her age.
Mateo’s weak grasp of basic maths made it hard for him to follow the engineering course.
- understanding
the most general term; grasp suggests a practical, working understanding rather than deep academic knowledge
- command
suggests mastery and control over a subject, stronger than grasp
- knowledge
refers to facts known; grasp implies the ability to use that knowledge
- ignorance
lack of knowledge or understanding
文法句型
a grasp of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Frequently modified by adjectives indicating depth or quality: a good/firm/thorough/basic/poor grasp of something. The object is always introduced by the preposition 'of'.