the.com/stab
A quick violent attempt to make a point without using words.
means To pierce or wound something with a pointed object, or—more loosely—to make a sudden, quick attempt at something.
from Stab emerged in Middle English (as 'stabbe'), likely connected to the Scots word 'stobbe' meaning a stake or pointed stick, and possibly related to 'stub.' Its deeper roots are murky — some link it further back to words for pricking or jabbing — but the sense has stayed remarkably consistent for centuries: a short, sharp thrust, whether with a blade or, metaphorically, with an effort ('a stab at it') or a feeling ('a stab of regret').
- origin
- from middle english stabben, imitative of a sharp jab
- idiom use
- a stab in the dark means pure guesswork
- forgiving cousin
- take a stab at it means just try
- body count
- the word predates guns by centuries