stab

noun countable

UK /stæb/

Word Forms

singular	stab
plural	stabs

1
mainly literarya sudden feeling of pain
stab of:
He felt a stab of pain from his wounded leg.
Synonyms and related words
Pain and pains
ache
agony
anguish
1. 1a
  a sudden feeling of a negative emotion
  stab of:
  a stab of jealousy/fear/disappointment
  Synonyms and related words
  Sudden instances of a particular emotion
  fit
  impulse
  surge
2
an act of stabbing
a stab wound
Synonyms and related words
An act of pushing
push
shove
poke
3
informalan attempt to do something, especially when you have no experience of doing it
There have been stabs at regulating Web content.
have/make/take a stab at something:
They decided to have a stab at fixing the car themselves.
Synonyms and related words
An attempt to do something
attempt
effort
struggle

phrases

a stab in the back

a stab in the dark

stab

noun countable

US /stæb/

Word Forms

singular	stab
plural	stabs

1
mainly literarya sudden feeling of pain
stab of:
He felt a stab of pain from his wounded leg.
Synonyms and related words
Pain and pains
ache
agony
anguish
1. 1a
  a sudden feeling of a negative emotion
  stab of:
  a stab of jealousy/fear/disappointment
  Synonyms and related words
  Sudden instances of a particular emotion
  fit
  impulse
  surge
2
informalan attempt to do something, especially when you have no experience of doing it
There have been stabs at regulating Web content.
make/take a stab at something:
They decided to take a stab at fixing the car themselves.
Synonyms and related words
An attempt to do something
attempt
effort
struggle
3
an act of stabbing
a stab wound
Synonyms and related words
An act of pushing
push
shove
poke

phrases

a stab in the back

a stab in the dark

stab

verb

UK /stæb/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	stab
he/she/it	stabs
present participle	stabbing
past tense	stabbed
past participle	stabbed

1
transitive to kill or hurt someone by pushing a knife or other sharp object into their body
His brother was stabbed in the hand.
stab someone to death:
One fan was stabbed to death in a fight between gangs.
Synonyms and related words
To kill a person or animal
kill
murder
strangle
Synonyms and related words
To injure yourself or someone else
injure
harm
wound
1. 1a
  to push a sharp object quickly into something
  She stabbed the meat with her fork.
  Synonyms and related words
  To push something into or through a person or thing
  stick
  spear
  impale
2. 1b
  
  stab
  or
  stab at
  intransitive/transitive to make a movement with your finger or a pointed object as if you are stabbing something, usually to emphasize something that you are saying
  ‘Here!’ she said, stabbing the book with her finger.
  stab at:
  He stabbed at the paper with his pen.
  Synonyms and related words
  To use a particular gesture to communicate something
  acknowledge
  bat your eyes/eyelashes
  beckon
2
intransitive/transitive if an unpleasant or negative feeling stabs you, you suddenly feel it very strongly
Synonyms and related words
What feelings and emotions do
come over
return
run away with
1. 2a
  if someone’s words stab you, they make you feel suddenly very sad or afraid
  His words stabbed her to the heart.
  Synonyms and related words
  To make someone afraid or frightened
  frighten
  alarm
  scare
  Synonyms and related words
  To make someone feel sad or upset
  upset
  wound
  disturb
3
transitive mainly journalismto quickly push or kick a ball somewhere
The new striker ran up and stabbed the ball home.
Synonyms and related words
To kick or hit a ball in a game or sport
strike at
kick
play

phrases

stab someone in the back

stab

verb

US /stæb/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	stab
he/she/it	stabs
present participle	stabbing
past tense	stabbed
past participle	stabbed

1
transitive to kill or hurt someone by pushing a knife or other sharp object into their body
His brother was stabbed in the hand.
stab someone to death:
One fan was stabbed to death in a fight between gangs.
Synonyms and related words
To kill a person or animal
kill
murder
strangle
Synonyms and related words
To injure yourself or someone else
injure
harm
wound
1. 1a
  to push a sharp object quickly into something
  She stabbed the meat with her fork.
  Synonyms and related words
  To push something into or through a person or thing
  stick
  spear
  impale
2. 1b
  
  stab
  or
  stab at
  intransitive/transitive to make a movement with your finger or a pointed object as if you are stabbing something, usually to emphasize something that you are saying
  “Here!” she said, stabbing the book with her finger.
  stab at:
  He stabbed at the paper with his pen.
  Synonyms and related words
  To use a particular gesture to communicate something
  acknowledge
  bat your eyes/eyelashes
  beckon
2
intransitive/transitive if an unpleasant or negative feeling stabs you, you suddenly feel it very strongly
Synonyms and related words
What feelings and emotions do
color
come over
sweep over
1. 2a
  if someone’s words stab you, they make you feel suddenly very sad or afraid
  Synonyms and related words
  To make someone afraid or frightened
  frighten
  alarm
  scare
  Synonyms and related words
  To make someone feel sad or upset
  upset
  wound
  disturb

phrases

stab someone in the back

stab

stab

stab ​‌

stab

stab at

stab ​‌

stab

stab at

stab

stab