stabbing
stabbing — adjective
1. describes a sudden, sharp physical discomfort that comes in quick bursts, as if
describes a sudden, sharp physical discomfort that comes in quick bursts, as if a thin pointed object is pressing into the body at that spot.
Mei-Lin felt a stabbing pain in her lower back after lifting the heavy box.
collocation: stabbing pain (body part)
The doctor asked whether the stabbing sensation in Wei's chest came and went quickly.
collocation: stabbing sensation
A stabbing headache woke Omar in the middle of the night and kept him awake until dawn.
Deepa described the pain as a stabbing feeling behind her left eye whenever she looked at bright lights.
文法句型
stabbing + pain/noun describing pain
用法筆記
Only used before a noun that names a type of pain or physical sensation — e.g. stabbing pain, stabbing sensation, stabbing headache. Not used on its own (❌ 'The pain was stabbing' is grammatically possible but belongs to the verb pattern, not this adjective sense).
常見錯誤
stabbing — noun
1. a serious violent incident in which one person attacks another with a knife or o
a serious violent incident in which one person attacks another with a knife or other sharp weapon, causing injury.
Three people were injured in a stabbing outside the train station last night.
passive: were injured in a stabbing
The police arrested a suspect in connection with the stabbing near the market on Friday evening.
collocation: in connection with a stabbing
Local hospitals reported a rise in serious stabbings during the summer months.
The victim of the stabbing was taken to the hospital in serious condition after the attack.
- knife attack
more specific about the weapon; common in everyday language
- assault
broader term covering any violent attack, not limited to knives
文法句型
a stabbing
stabbing + verb (happens/occurs/injures)
用法筆記
Used in news reports and formal police statements. For everyday conversation, 'a knife attack' is more common in some regions. The plural 'stabbings' is used when discussing a pattern or series of incidents.
常見錯誤
stabbing — verb
1. to push a knife or other sharp object into someone's body with the aim of hurtin
to push a knife or other sharp object into someone's body with the aim of hurting or killing them.
During the fight, the attacker was stabbing the driver with a broken bottle.
was/were + stabbing + person + with + weapon
The shopkeeper was stabbing the intruder with a kitchen knife when the police arrived.
According to the report, someone was stabbing the guard repeatedly during the robbery.
Officers arrested a man who was stabbing a security guard outside the museum.
The neighbour called the police because someone was stabbing the victim in the chest.
文法句型
stab + person/body part
be stabbed + (with weapon)
用法筆記
This is the core physical meaning of 'stab.' The continuous form 'stabbing' (present participle) is used in progressive tenses: 'He was stabbing the victim repeatedly.' The -ing form can also act as a noun (see noun entry) or gerund: 'Stabbing someone is a serious crime.'
常見錯誤
2. to forcefully push a long, pointed object into the surface of something solid or
to forcefully push a long, pointed object into the surface of something solid or soft, without necessarily intending to cause injury.
The chef was stabbing the steak with a fork to check if it was cooked through.
was/were + stabbing + object + with + tool
Zola was stabbing the ground with her walking stick to test the soil before planting.
Kavita was stabbing the needle into the fabric when the thread snapped.
The gardener was stabbing the shovel into the dry earth when he hit a large stone.
文法句型
stab + object + into + surface/substance
stab at + something
用法筆記
This sense is non-violent and describes everyday actions involving tools, cooking, or gardening. The direct object is the thing you push (the tool), not a person. To describe pushing a tool towards something without successful penetration, use 'stab at' (intransitive): 'He stabbed at the lock with the key but missed.'