Hypertext Webster Gateway: "grappling"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Grapple \Grap"ple\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Grappled}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Grappling}.] [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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Grappling \Grap"pling\, n.
1. A laying fast ho1d of; also, that by which anything is
seized and held, a grapnel.
2. A grapple; a struggle. A match for yards in fight, in
grappling for the bear. --Dryden.
{Grappling iron}, a hooked iron used for grappling and
holding fast a vessel or other object.
{Grappling tongs}, broad-mouthed tongs for gathering oysters.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
grappling
n 1: the act of engaging in close hand-to-hand combat; "they had
a fierce wrestle"; "we watched his grappling and
wrestling with the bully" [syn: {wrestle}, {wrestling},
{grapple}, {hand-to-hand struggle}]
2: taking the bull by the horns [syn: {braving}, {confronting},
{coping with}, {tackling}]
3: the sport of hand-to-hand struggle between unarmed
contestants who try to throw each other down [syn: {wrestling},
{rassling}]
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