Stab \Stab\, n.
   1. The thrust of a pointed weapon.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A wound with a sharp-pointed weapon; as, to fall by the
      stab of an assassin. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Fig.: An injury inflicted covertly or suddenly; as, a stab
      given to character.
      [1913 Webster]

	

	Stab \Stab\ (st[a^]b), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stabbed (st[a^]bd);
   p. pr. & vb. n. Stabbing.] [Cf. OD. staven to fix, fasten,
   fr. stave, staff, a staff, rod; akin to G. stab a staff,
   stick, E. staff; also Gael. stob to stab, as n., a stake, a
   stub. Cf. Staff.]
   1. To pierce with a pointed weapon; to wound or kill by the
      thrust of a pointed instrument; as, to stab a man with a
      dagger; also, to thrust; as, to stab a dagger into a
      person.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Fig.: To injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or
      slander; as, to stab a person's reputation.
      [1913 Webster]

	

	Stab \Stab\, v. i.
   1. To give a wound with a pointed weapon; to pierce; to
      thrust with a pointed weapon.
      [1913 Webster]

            None shall dare
            With shortened sword to stab in closer war.
                                                  --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To wound or pain, as if with a pointed weapon.
      [1913 Webster]

            She speaks poniards, and every word stabs. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   To stab at, to offer or threaten to stab; to thrust a
      pointed weapon at.
      [1913 Webster]

	

	Stab culture \Stab culture\ (Bacteriol.)
   A culture made by inoculating a solid medium, as gelatin,
   with the puncture of a needle or wire; -- called also stab.
   The growths are usually of characteristic form.
   [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]

	

	stab
    n 1: a sudden sharp feeling; "pangs of regret"; "she felt a stab
         of excitement"; "twinges of conscience" [syn: pang,
         stab, twinge]
    2: a strong blow with a knife or other sharp pointed instrument;
       "one strong stab to the heart killed him" [syn: stab,
       thrust, knife thrust]
    3: informal words for any attempt or effort; "he gave it his
       best shot"; "he took a stab at forecasting" [syn: shot,
       stab]
    v 1: use a knife on; "The victim was knifed to death" [syn:
         knife, stab]
    2: stab or pierce; "he jabbed the piece of meat with his pocket
       knife" [syn: stab, jab]
    3: poke or thrust abruptly; "he jabbed his finger into her ribs"
       [syn: jab, prod, stab, poke, dig]

	

	246 Moby Thesaurus words for "stab":
   Judas kiss, abrade, abrasion, ache, acute pain, afflict, aggrieve,
   agonize, ail, anguish, approach, assay, attempt, auger,
   barb the dart, bark, bayonet, betray, betrayal, bid, bite, blemish,
   blind guess, bloody, bold conjecture, bore, boring pain, break,
   broach, bruise, burn, chafe, charley horse, check, chip, claw,
   concussion, conjecture, convulse, countersink, crack, crackle,
   cramp, cramps, craze, crick, crucify, cut, cut up, dagger,
   darting pain, dig, dirk, distress, double-cross, drill, drive,
   duplicity, effort, empierce, endeavor, essay, excruciate,
   experiment, feint, fester, fix, flash burn, fling, fracture, fray,
   frazzle, fret, fulgurant pain, gall, gambit, gash, girdle pain,
   give pain, gnaw, gnawing, go, gore, gouge, gouge out, grate,
   grieve, grind, gripe, griping, guess, harm, harrow, hitch, hole,
   home thrust, honeycomb, hunch, hurt, hurt the feelings, impale,
   incise, incision, inflame, inflict pain, injure, injury, irritate,
   jab, jumping pain, kill by inches, kink, knife, lacerate,
   laceration, lance, lancinating pain, lesion, lick, lunge, maim,
   make mincemeat of, martyr, martyrize, maul, mortal wound, move,
   mutilate, mutilation, needle, nip, offer, pain, pang, paroxysm,
   pass, penetrate, perforate, perhaps, pierce, pin, pinch, pink,
   plunge, plunge in, poke, poniard, pop, prick, prolong the agony,
   prong, punch, puncture, put to torture, rack, ram, rankle, rasp,
   ream, ream out, rend, rent, riddle, rip, rough guess, rub, run,
   run through, rupture, saber, savage, scald, scorch, scotch, scrape,
   scratch, scuff, second-degree burn, seizure, sell out, sharp pain,
   shoot, shooting, shooting pain, shot, sink, skewer, skin, slap,
   slash, slit, sore, spasm, spear, speculation, spike, spit, sprain,
   stab wound, stabbing pain, stagger, step, stick, stiletto, sting,
   stitch, strain, stroke, strong bid, surmise, swing, sword, tap,
   tear, tentative, third-degree burn, thrill, throes, thrust, tormen,
   torment, torture, transfix, transpierce, trauma, traumatize,
   treachery, trepan, trephine, trial, trial and error, try, tweak,
   twinge, twist, twist the knife, twitch, undertaking,
   unverified supposition, whack, whirl, wild guess, wound,
   wounds immedicable, wrench, wring

	

	STAB

    A descendent of BCPL.

   (1996-08-25)