grappler

grap·ple

 (grăp′əl)

n.

1.

a. An iron shaft with claws at one end, usually thrown by a rope and used for grasping and holding, especially one for drawing and holding an enemy ship alongside. Also called grapnel, grappling, grappling hook, grappling iron.

b. See grapnel.

2. Any of various grasping devices having hinged tines or jaws that close around an object or load, used especially in lifting or dragging heavy items.

3. The act of grappling.

4.

a. A struggle or contest in which the participants attempt to wrestle with each other by clutching or gripping.

b. A struggle for superiority or dominance.

v. grap·pled, grap·pling, grap·ples

v.tr.

1. To seize and hold with a grapple: grappled the prow of the ship.

2. To seize firmly with the hands: "Jules ... grappled the backpack chained over the back of Izzy's bike and began scrabbling through it" (Bella Bathurst).

v.intr.

1. To hold onto something with a grapple: "The 150-odd ships closed and grappled, initiating the most important naval battle of the Hundred Years' War" (Clifford J. Rogers).

2. To use a grapple or similar device, as for dragging.

3.

a. To wrestle with an opponent by clutching or gripping.

b. To struggle or work hard to deal with something: grappled with their consciences; grapple with the political realities of our time.

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[Middle English grapel, from Old French grapil, diminutive of grape, hook; see grape.]

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grap′pler n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	grappler - combatant who tries to throw opponent to the ground matman, wrestler bantamweight - weighs 115-126 pounds battler, belligerent, combatant, fighter, scrapper - someone who fights (or is fighting) featherweight - weighs 126-139 pounds flyweight - weighs no more than 115 pounds heavyweight - a wrestler who weighs more than 214 pounds light heavyweight - a wrestler who weighs 192-214 pounds lightweight - a wrestler who weighs 139-154 pounds middleweight - a wrestler who weighs 172-192 pounds sumo wrestler - a wrestler who participates in sumo (a Japanese form of wrestling); "sumo wrestlers are large heavy men" welterweight - a wrestler who weighs 154-172 pounds
	2.	grappler - a tool consisting of several hooks for grasping and holding; often thrown with a rope grapnel, grapple, grappling hook, grappling iron crampon, crampoon - a hinged pair of curved iron bars; used to raise heavy objects claw, hook - a mechanical device that is curved or bent to suspend or hold or pull something tool - an implement used in the practice of a vocation

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.