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verb

nab

NAB/næb/

To catch or grab someone or something quickly.

The woman nabs the apple before it falls from the table.

Woman catches an apple at table edge.
Etymology
nabEnglishseize, catch

Nab is probably a variant of dialectal nap, meaning “seize” or “catch.” That older verb survives in kidnap, where it conveys snatching someone away.

In context

Old Time Radio Researchers26:49
Come on, let's get out of here. We can't go this way. The sheriff will nab us.
The Lone Ranger - Stampede (1)

More examples

  • I nab the last cookie before anyone else notices.
  • She nabbed a front-row seat just before the show.
  • The cat tries to nab a moth on the porch.

Forms

nab · nabs · nabbed · nabbing

Similar words

grab
Emphasizes taking hold, not necessarily catching someone who is escaping.
snatch
Suggests a sudden, forceful grab, sometimes taking something away.
catch
Emphasizes stopping or securing someone or something in motion.