GRAPPLE

wrestle, wrestling, grapple, grappling, hand-to-hand struggle

(noun) the act of engaging in close hand-to-hand combat; “they had a fierce wrestle”; “we watched his grappling and wrestling with the bully”

clamshell, grapple

(noun) a dredging bucket with hinges like the shell of a clam

grapnel, grapple, grappler, grappling hook, grappling iron

(noun) a tool consisting of several hooks for grasping and holding; often thrown with a rope

grapple, grip

(verb) to grip or seize, as in a wrestling match; “the two men grappled with each other for several minutes”

cope, get by, make out, make do, contend, grapple, deal, manage

(verb) succeed in doing, achieving, or producing (something) with the limited or inadequate means available; “We got by on just a gallon of gas”; “They made do on half a loaf of bread every day”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology 1

Verb

grapple (third-person singular simple present grapples, present participle grappling, simple past and past participle grappled)

(transitive) To seize something and hold it firmly.

(intransitive) To wrestle or tussle.

(figuratively, with with) To ponder and intensely evaluate a problem.

Noun

grapple (countable and uncountable, plural grapples)

A close hand-to-hand struggle; (uncountable) the act of grappling.

Etymology 2

Noun

grapple (plural grapples)

A tool with claws or hooks which is used to catch or hold something.

(nautical) A device consisting of iron claws, attached to the end of a rope, used for grasping and holding an enemy ship prior to boarding; a grappling iron.

(nautical) A grapnel (“type of anchor”).

Verb

grapple (third-person singular simple present grapples, present participle grappling, simple past and past participle grappled)

(transitive) To fasten, as with a grapple; (by extension) to fix; to join indissolubly.

(transitive, intransitive) To climb (whether by means of a grapple and rope, or by hand, etc).

(intransitive) To use a grapple (for example to attempt to find, hook, and raise a net or cable).

(transitive, intransitive) To hook and raise with a grapple.

Source: Wiktionary

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Grap"ple, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Grappled; p. pr. & vb. n. Grappling.] Etym: [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.

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

Grap"ple, v. i.

Definition: To use a grapple; to contend in close fight; to attach one's self as if by a grapple, as in wrestling; to close; to seize one another. To grapple with, to enter into contest with, resolutely and courageously. And in my standard bear the arms of York, To grapple with the house of Lancaster. Shak.

Grap"ple, n. Etym: [See Grapple, v. t., and cf. Crapple.]

1. A seizing or seizure; close hug in contest; the wrestler's hold. Milton.

2. (a) An instrument, usually with hinged claws, for seizing and holding fast to an object; a grab. (b) (Naut.)

Definition: A grappling iron. The iron hooks and grapples keen. Spenser. Grapple plant (Bot.), a South African herb (Herpagophytum leptocarpum) having the woody fruits armed with long hooked or barbed thorns by which they adhere to cattle, causing intense annoyance.

– Grapple shot (Life-saving Service), a projectile, to which are attached hinged claws to catch in a ship's rigging or to hold in the ground; -- called also anchor shot.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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