Grappling

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Grapple \Grap"ple\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Grappled}; p. pr. & vb.
     n. {Grappling}.] [F. grappiller, OF. graypil the grapple of a
     ship, fr. graper to pluck, prop., to seize, clutch; of German
     origin. See {Grape}.]
     1. To seize; to lay fast hold of; to attack at close
        quarters: as, to grapple an antagonist.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To fasten, as with a grapple; to fix; to join
        indissolubly.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The gallies were grappled to the Centurion.
                                                    --Hakluyt.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel.
                                                    --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Grappling \Grap"pling\, n.
     1. A laying fast ho1d of; also, that by which anything is
        seized and held, a grapnel.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A grapple; a struggle. A match for yards in fight, in
        grappling for the bear. --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Grappling iron}, a hooked iron used for grappling and
        holding fast a vessel or other object.
  
     {Grappling tongs}, broad-mouthed tongs for gathering oysters.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  grappling
       n 1: the act of engaging in close hand-to-hand combat; "they had
            a fierce wrestle"; "we watched his grappling and
            wrestling with the bully" [syn: {wrestle}, {wrestling},
            {grapple}, {hand-to-hand struggle}]
       2: taking the bull by the horns [syn: {braving}, {confronting},
           {coping with}, {tackling}]
       3: the sport of hand-to-hand struggle between unarmed
          contestants who try to throw each other down [syn: {wrestling},
           {rassling}]