grasp

/ɡrɑːsp/ (bre, ipa) · /ɡræsp/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgrasp/ (ame, mw)

grasp — 動詞

  • 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

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

抓住

用手緊緊抓住某物

to take hold of something firmly with the hand or hands, especially in a quick or sudden motion

例句

The toddler grasped his mother's finger tightly as they crossed the busy street.

幼兒緊緊抓住母親的手指，走過繁忙的街道。

grasp + noun phrase for physical hold

Amara grasped the railing just in time to stop herself from falling down the stairs.

Amara 及時抓住欄杆，才沒有從樓梯上摔下去。

同義詞
  • grip

    suggests holding firmly with minimal movement, while grasp often implies a reaching or seizing motion

  • clutch

    suggests holding tightly out of fear or urgency, stronger emotion than grasp

  • seize

    implies taking suddenly and with force, often used in more dramatic contexts

反義詞
  • release

    to let go of something that was being held

  • drop

    to allow something to fall from the hand

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

❌She grasped to the bag strap.
✅She grasped the bag strap.
💡'grasp' is transitive and does not take a preposition like 'to' or 'at' for the target object.

2. to eagerly accept and make use of an opportunity, offer, or chance the moment it

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

把握

積極抓住機會

to eagerly accept and make use of an opportunity, offer, or chance the moment it appears

例句

When the job opened up in Tokyo, Elena grasped the chance to work abroad without hesitation.

當東京的工作機會出現時，Elena 毫不猶豫地把握了出國工作的機會。

grasp + chance / opportunity

The small company grasped every opportunity to sell its products in new Asian markets.

這家小公司把握每一個機會，把產品賣到新的亞洲市場。

同義詞
  • seize

    very similar in meaning but slightly more forceful and dramatic than grasp

  • take

    the most general word; lacks the sense of eagerness that grasp conveys

  • jump at

    phrasal verb; informal and suggests immediate enthusiasm

反義詞
  • miss

    to fail to take an opportunity when it arises

  • waste

    to let an opportunity pass without using it

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

❌She grasped to take the job.
✅She grasped the opportunity to take the job.
💡'grasp' needs a direct object; pair it with 'opportunity' or 'chance' rather than an infinitive.

3. to understand something difficult or complicated after thinking about it careful

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

理解；領會

理解複雜或困難的事物

to understand something difficult or complicated after thinking about it carefully — for example, grasping why a plan failed, or grasping how a machine works

例句

It took the students a whole term to grasp the basic rules of quantum physics.

學生們花了整整一學期才理解量子物理的基本規則。

grasp + noun phrase for understanding

The manager quickly grasped why the sales figures had dropped so sharply that quarter.

經理很快就理解了那一季銷售數字為何大幅下滑。

grasp + wh-clause

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞

文法句型

grasp + noun phrase

grasp + wh-clause

常見錯誤

❌I grasped to understand the lesson.
✅I grasped the lesson.
💡'grasp' itself means to understand; pairing it with 'to understand' is redundant.

grasp — 名詞