First attested in Scottish English (compare Scots stob, stobbe, stabb (“a pointed stick or stake; a thrust with a pointed weapon”)), from Middle English stabbe (“a stab”), probably a variant of Middle English stob, stub, stubbe (“pointed stick, stake, thorn, stub, stump”), from Old Norse stobbi, stubbi, cognate with Old English stybb. Cognate with Middle Dutch stobbe.
Supposed by some to derive from Scottish Gaelic stob (“to prick, to prod, to push, to thrust”); supposed by others to be from a Scots word.
Meanings
An act of stabbing or thrusting with an object to hurt or kill someone.
A knife was flashing in his hand, and just as he was about to take a stab at me, the smith grabbed his arm from behind. 1979, Karl May, The Secret Brotherhood: A Novel, Seabury Press, →ISBN, page 52:
A wound made by stabbing.
I opened the man's linen robe, and there over his heart was a dagger-wound, and beneath the woman's fair breast was a like cruel stab, through which her life had ebbed away. 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
Pain inflicted on a person's feelings.
“I bet you two have really big plans. And might I say, that is just fab,” he said of Lynn's dress. “I'm glad someone noticed,” she replied, seeming to take a stab at me. 2001, Van Whitfield, Guys in Suits: A Novel, Doubleday, →ISBN, page 73:
(informal) An attempt.
I'll give this thankless task a stab.
As yet, we don't know what the comparable figures will be like for the current financial year which ends in March 2022, but we can have a good stab at approximating them. 2022 January 12, Sir Michael Holden, “Reform of the workforce or death by a thousand cuts?”, in RAIL, number 948, page 22:
Criticism.
A single staccato chord that adds dramatic impact to a composition.
a horn stab
A bacterial culture made by inoculating a solid medium, such as gelatin, with the puncture of a needle or wire.
it pugnalata (act of stabbing) · as হেঁচা (act of stabbing) · uk спро́ба (attempt) · fi pistohaava (wound made by stabbing) · ilo bagkong (act of stabbing) · sv stick (act of stabbing) · es acuchillamiento (act of stabbing) · pt punhalada (pain inflicted on a person's feelings) · gl puñalada (wound made by stabbing) · no stikk (wound made by stabbing) · pt punhalada (wound made by stabbing) · ta முயற்சி (attempt) · ru оплеу́ха (pain inflicted on a person's feelings) · ga seáp (attempt) · cs bodnutí (act of stabbing) · ru пощёчина (pain inflicted on a person's feelings) · gl puñalada (act of stabbing) · ta குத்து (act of stabbing) · de Stichwunde (wound made by stabbing) · es puñalada (pain inflicted on a person's feelings) · es cuchillada (wound made by stabbing) · es puñalada (act of stabbing) · ilo bangig (wound made by stabbing) · nl aanval (criticism) · fi pisto (pain inflicted on a person's feelings) · ca punyalada (pain inflicted on a person's feelings) · sq prerje (wound made by stabbing) · ru уда́р (act of stabbing) · su tewek (act of stabbing) · bg промушване (act of stabbing) · tl saksak (wound made by stabbing) · ru кри́тика (criticism) · ga sá (act of stabbing) · ca ganivetada (act of stabbing) · ru укори́зна (criticism) · fi pistäminen (act of stabbing) · nl kritiek (criticism) · gl coitelada (wound made by stabbing) · lv durt (act of stabbing) · it pugnalata (wound made by stabbing) · es punzada (wound made by stabbing) · pl dźgnięcie (wound made by stabbing) · bg опит (attempt) · es estocada (act of stabbing) · gl coitelada (act of stabbing) · ru шпи́лька (pain inflicted on a person's feelings) · srn dyuku (act of stabbing) · ms tikaman (wound made by stabbing) · ru проко́л (act of stabbing) · ru ко́лотая ра́на (wound made by stabbing) · no stikk (act of stabbing) · gl puñalada (pain inflicted on a person's feelings) · ca punyalada (act of stabbing) · cs bodnutí (wound made by stabbing) · lt durti (act of stabbing) · la ictus (act of stabbing) · pl dźgnięcie (act of stabbing) · es cuchillada (act of stabbing) · ca punyalada (wound made by stabbing) · es puñalada (wound made by stabbing) · ru уко́л (pain inflicted on a person's feelings) · nl steekwond (wound made by stabbing) · as খোঁচা (act of stabbing) · sq ther (act of stabbing) · pt facada (act of stabbing) · ru прока́лывание (act of stabbing) · es estocada (wound made by stabbing) · bg прободна рана (wound made by stabbing) · fr percée (act of stabbing) · uk кри́тика (criticism) · th การแทง (act of stabbing) · fa خنجر زدن (act of stabbing) · ru плево́к (pain inflicted on a person's feelings) · nl poging (attempt) · ru протыка́ние (act of stabbing) · ilo bagkong (wound made by stabbing) · ru уко́л (act of stabbing) · pt punhalada (act of stabbing) · tl saksak (act of stabbing) · ru уко́р (criticism) · ru ко́лкость (pain inflicted on a person's feelings) · ar طَعْن (act of stabbing) · fi pisto (act of stabbing) · ast puñalada (act of stabbing) · ru упрёк (criticism) · ltg dūrt (act of stabbing) · ga rop (act of stabbing) · ru попы́тка (attempt) · id tikam (act of stabbing) · es punzadura (wound made by stabbing) · pt facada (wound made by stabbing) · it coltellata (wound made by stabbing) · no stikk (pain inflicted on a person's feelings) · ca ganivetada (wound made by stabbing) · ar طَعْنَة (wound made by stabbing) · no stikk (criticism) · nl steek (act of stabbing) · ta விமர்சனம் (criticism) · eo piko (act of stabbing) · de Stich (act of stabbing) · qu t'uksiy (wound made by stabbing) · ms penikaman (act of stabbing) · sv hugg (act of stabbing)
First attested in Scottish English (compare Scots stob, stobbe, stabb (“a pointed stick or stake; a thrust with a pointed weapon”)), from Middle English stabbe (“a stab”), probably a variant of Middle English stob, stub, stubbe (“pointed stick, stake, thorn, stub, stump”), from Old Norse stobbi, stubbi, cognate with Old English stybb. Cognate with Middle Dutch stobbe.
Supposed by some to derive from Scottish Gaelic stob (“to prick, to prod, to push, to thrust”); supposed by others to be from a Scots word.
Meanings
(transitive) To pierce or to wound (somebody) with a (usually pointed) tool or weapon, especially a knife or dagger.
Hornet blazed away as best she could, but, having to split her attention between high and low attackers, as well as having the aft 5-inch battery temporarily disabled by a young officer who'd accidentally run the guns into their stops, freezing them in position until the issue could be sorted, meant that two 550-pound semi-armor-piercing bombs, and one fractionally-lighter high-explosive bomb, soon crashed down, the first two stabbing deep into the ship and the other one blowing a hole in the flight deck, accompanied by a dive bomber that had been shot down but elected to go out by slamming into the Hornet as opposed to the sea. In some small comfort, that aircraft's bomb didn't go off as well. 2021 February 3, Drachinifel, 12:32 from the start, in Guadalcanal Campaign - Santa Cruz (IJN 2 : 2 USN), archived from the original on 04 Dec 2022:
"There the cause of death was soon ascertained ; the victim of this daring outrage had been stabbed to death from ear to ear with a long, sharp instrument, in shape like an antique stiletto, which […] was subsequently found under the cushions of the hansom.[…]" 1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Tremarn Case”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:
If you stab him in the heart he won't live long enough to retaliate.
(transitive) To thrust in a stabbing motion.
to stab a dagger into a person
(intransitive) To recklessly hit with the tip of a (usually pointed) object, such as a weapon or finger (often used with at).
He stabbed at my face with the twig but luckily kept missing my eyes.
Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale; to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee. 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:
None shall dare / With shortened sword to stab in closer war. 1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
(intransitive) To cause a sharp, painful sensation (often used with at).
The snow from the blizzard was stabbing at my face as I skied down the mountain.
(figuratively, transitive) To injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander.
to stab a person's reputation
(transitive) To roughen a brick wall with a pick so as to hold plaster.
(transitive) To pierce folded sheets, near their back edges, for the passage of thread or wire.
(qualifier:oil industry, transitive) To guide the end of a pipe into a coupling when making up a connection.
[O]ne of the derrickman's jobs is to "stab" the pipe. 2005, Paul Carter, Don't Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs, Crows Nest, NSW: Allen and Unwin, page 57:
sh бости (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · csb pchac (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru ткнуть (to thrust in a stabbing motion) · cy gwanu (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru заколо́ть (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · pt chinar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · no stikke (to cause a sharp painful sensation) · ga rop (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru ты́кать (to recklessly hit with the tip of a pointed object) · cy trywanu (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru пронзи́ть (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · la fodio (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ms tikam (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · sat ᱨᱳᱜ (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru вонзи́ть (to thrust in a stabbing motion) · de stechen (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · hu döf (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · fr poignarder (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · bg промушвам (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru засади́ть (to thrust in a stabbing motion) · cs bodnout (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru пырну́ть (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru пробива́ть (to pierce folded sheets for the passage of thread or wire) · ast apuñalar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru пропоро́ть (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ota صاپلامق (to thrust in a stabbing motion) · ta குத்து (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · it sfregiare (to recklessly hit with the tip of a pointed object) · ru очерни́ть (to injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander) · tr şişlemek (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · tl saksak (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · cs pobodat (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · de erstechen (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · bg пронизвам (to cause a sharp painful sensation) · vi đâm (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru пока́лывать (to cause a sharp painful sensation) · ru заре́зать (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · lt badyti (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ar طَعَنَ (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · es asestar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · el μαχαιρώνω (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · qu t'urpuy (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru бесче́стить (to injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander) · it pugnalare (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ta குத்து (to thrust in a stabbing motion) · chr ᎦᏘᎭ (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru вогна́ть (to thrust in a stabbing motion) · sh bosti (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · wyi borr-gi (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru уда́рить (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · jv nyuduk (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · cs probodnout (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru позо́рить (to injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander) · ta அடி (to cause a sharp painful sensation) · la perfodio (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · da stikke (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · no stikke (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · mi oka (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · pt esfaquear (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru прире́зать (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · gl acoitelar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru проби́ть (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · es ennavajar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru запятна́ть (to injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander) · yue 插 (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · la transfodio (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru проколо́ть (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru броса́ть тень (to injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander) · es enclavar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru жечь (to cause a sharp painful sensation) · es estoquear (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · is stinga (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ga sáigh (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · hu szúr (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ca acoltellar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · gl anavallar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ota صاپلامق (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · pt apunhalar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · rar oka (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · es apuñalar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · th เสียบ (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · hi भोंकना (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru ткнуть (to recklessly hit with the tip of a pointed object) · la pungo (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru коло́ть (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · my ထိုး (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · fo stinga (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ro străpunge (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · tr sançmak (to thrust in a stabbing motion) · bg пробождам (to recklessly hit with the tip of a pointed object) · hu nyilallik (to cause a sharp painful sensation) · pox ai̯büst (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru коло́ть (to cause a sharp painful sensation) · de niederstechen (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru срами́ть (to injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander) · nl steken (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · mkj doakoa (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · cmn 刺 (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ro a da o lovitură de cuțit (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · yi שטעכן (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru дискредити́ровать (to injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander) · ja 刺す (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · id tikam (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · fi puukottaa (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · nl steken (to cause a sharp painful sensation) · sv sticka (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · la ico (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · unm tànkamën (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · la perforo (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru проткну́ть (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru воткну́ть (to thrust in a stabbing motion) · mi pūmuka (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · akl buno' (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · es punzar (to cause a sharp painful sensation) · ru проби́ть (to pierce folded sheets for the passage of thread or wire) · ta குத்து (to recklessly hit with the tip of a pointed object) · ru всади́ть (to thrust in a stabbing motion) · es acuchillar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · tr bıçaklamak (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · gl apuñalar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · nl steken (to recklessly hit with the tip of a pointed object) · grc νύσσω (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · fi pistää (to cause a sharp painful sensation) · pox büst (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · fa خلاندن (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · pl kłuć (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · kaw suduk (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · tr saplamak (to thrust in a stabbing motion) · cic baafa (to recklessly hit with the tip of a pointed object) · pon doakoa (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ang stingan (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · cic baafa (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · srn dyuku (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · es clavar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ca apunyalar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · rm cuntellar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · la traicio (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · bg пронизвам (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · la perfigo (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · hy խոցել (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · se čugget (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · zea steke (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru опоро́чить (to injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander) · mr भोसकणे (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · fr frapper d'un coup de couteau (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · it accoltellare (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · unm tànkama (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ro înjunghia (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · es estocar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · fi pistää (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru компромети́ровать (to injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander) · dsb štapaś (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · hu bök (to recklessly hit with the tip of a pointed object) · az bıçaqlamaq (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · ru щипа́ть (to cause a sharp painful sensation) · la confodio (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · rap oka (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · rm stilettar (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · he דָּקַר (to pierce or wound with pointed object) · th แทง (to pierce or wound with pointed object)
(slang) The horizontal or vertical stabilizer of an aircraft.
If the pilots used electric pitch trim, it would only pause MCAS for 5s; to deactivate it you have to switch off the STAB TRIM CUTOUT switches. 2020, Chris Brady, “737 MAX - MCAS”, in The Boeing 737 Technical Site, archived from the original on 23 Jan 2021:
The pressmen were granted a stab wage of 36s for a 60 hour week, and the extras for overtime and Sunday work […] 1967, John Child, Industrial Relations in the British Printing Industry, page 113:
Do you know whether any country offices pay their men by the thousand, or whether they are on stab wages? — I do not know. Some are paid stab wages, but I do not know whether there is much piece-work. 1893, Proceedings of the Parliament of South Australia, page 313:
[…] there were 286 overseers and 210 readers occupied in the 501 offices; 2,691 compositors were paid on the stab […] 1892, The British Printer, volume 5, page 42: