stab

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /stæb/ See IPA manual

Freq #4515

Meanings

1

verb
To push a knife or other sharp object into someone or something.

The victim was stabbed in the arm.
2

noun
A wound or blow made with a knife or sharp object.

He died from a single stab to the chest.
3

noun
A sudden sharp feeling of pain or emotion.

She felt a stab of guilt when she saw his face.
4

noun
An attempt to do something.

I'll have a stab at fixing the computer myself.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to push a knife or other... jab

2 noun · a wound or blow made with a... thrust

More chefchibching chiveenthrillfoingore gride job juke kebab

Word family

Forms stabbedstabbingstabs

Derived forms antistabbackstabbackstabbingbrain-stabbingdownstabstab-ragstabbablestabbeestabberstabbingstabbystablike

Appears in

Idioms (2)

See all

Etymology

First attested in Scottish English (compare Scots stob, stobbe, stabb (“a pointed stick or stake; a thrust with a pointed weapon”)), from Middle English stabbe (“a stab”), probably a variant of Middle English stob, stub, stubbe (“pointed stick, stake, thorn, stub, stump”), from Old Norse stobbi, stubbi, cognate with Old English stybb. Cognate with Middle Dutch stobbe. Supposed by some to derive from Scottish Gaelic stob (“to prick, to prod, to push, to thrust”); supposed by others to be from a Scots word.

stabbe Middle English stob Middle English stobbi Old Norse

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Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# stab

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /stæb/
**Frequency rank:** 4515

## Meanings
1. To push a knife or other sharp object into someone or something.
2. A wound or blow made with a knife or sharp object.
3. A sudden sharp feeling of pain or emotion.
4. An attempt to do something.

## Examples
- The victim was stabbed in the arm.
- He died from a single stab to the chest.
- She felt a stab of guilt when she saw his face.
- I'll have a stab at fixing the computer myself.

## Synonyms
- chef
- chib
- ching
- chive
- enthrill
- foin
- gore
- gride
- jab
- job
- juke
- kebab

## Derived Forms
- antistab
- backstab
- backstabbing
- brain-stabbing
- downstab
- stab-rag
- stabbable
- stabbee
- stabber
- stabbing
- stabby
- stablike

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: stabbe
- Root: stob
- Root: stobbi

## Etymology
First attested in Scottish English (compare Scots stob, stobbe, stabb (“a pointed stick or stake; a thrust with a pointed weapon”)), from Middle English stabbe (“a stab”), probably a variant of Middle English stob, stub, stubbe (“pointed stick, stake, thorn, stub, stump”), from Old Norse stobbi, stubbi, cognate with Old English stybb. Cognate with Middle Dutch stobbe. Supposed by some to derive from Scottish Gaelic stob (“to prick, to prod, to push, to thrust”); supposed by others to be from a Scots word.

## AI Etymology
Stab is first attested in Scottish English (compare Scots stob, stobbe, stabb (“a pointed stick or stake; a thrust with a pointed weapon”)), from Middle English stabbe (“a stab”), probably a variant of Middle English stob, stub, stubbe (“pointed stick, stake, thorn, stub, stump”), from Old Norse stobbi, stubbi, cognate with Old English stybb. Cognate with Middle Dutch stobbe. Supposed by some to derive from Scottish Gaelic stob (“to prick, to prod, to push, to thrust”); supposed by others to be from a Scots word.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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