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# stab

«stab» in Mova's school dictionary: **to push a knife or other sharp, pointed thing into…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 2 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (stab, stabs, stabbed, stabbing); noun (a stab, stabs)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To stab means to push a knife or other sharp, pointed thing into someone or something. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stab/#m1)

2) To stab can mean to push or poke something hard with a pointed object or finger. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stab/#m2)

3) A stab is a sudden sharp pain or feeling («a stab of pain», «a stab of jealousy»). [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stab/#m3)

4) To have a stab at something means to try it («Have a stab at the answer»). [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stab/#m4)

5) A stab can also be a small prick or wound made by something sharp. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stab/#m5)

### sense in the lessons

In everyday life and safety stabbing is a serious crime; carrying knives is against the law and dangerous. In cooking you stab potatoes with a fork. In stories a «stab in the back» means a betrayal by a friend. In class «have a stab at it» means try your best guess. Phrases: «have a stab at», «stab in the back», «a stab of pain», «stab wound».

### examples

- Stab the potatoes with a fork before baking them. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stab/#x1)
- Have a stab at the hard question. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stab/#x2)
- I felt a stab of pain in my side while running. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stab/#x3)
- Carrying a knife to stab someone is a crime. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stab/#x4)
- He stabbed the button angrily with his finger. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stab/#x5)
- She felt a stab of jealousy when her friend won. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stab/#x6)
- Telling my secret was a stab in the back. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stab/#x7)
- Never stab at things with scissors. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stab/#x8)

### note

Double b before -ed and -ing: «stabbed», «stabbing». Safety: if you see someone with a knife, get away and tell an adult or call 999/911/000/112. «Have a stab» is casual and friendly.

### In the corpora

- [Sticks can splinter and stab a dog's mouth or throat, so a ball or rubber toy is safer to throw.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/62-dogs-and-rabbits-in-your-care/10/)
- [Running with scissors or a craft knife can turn a small trip into a deep stab wound.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/245-crafts-scissors-glue-and-paint/19/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «stab» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stab/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.