Adjacent Words

Grapnel definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

GRAP'NEL
GRAP'PLE, v.t.
1. To seize; to lay fast hold on, either with the hands or with hooks. We say, a man grapples his antagonist, or a ship grapples another ship.
2. To fasten; to fix, as the mind or heart. [Not in use.]
GRAP'PLE, v.i. To seize; to contend in close fight, as wrestlers.
To grapple with, to contend with, to struggle with successfully.
GRAP'PLE, n. A seizing; close hug in contest; the wrestler's hold.
1. Close fight.
2. A hook or iron instrument by which one ship fastens on another.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a tool consisting of several hooks for grasping and holding; often thrown with a rope [syn: grapnel, grapple, grappler, grappling hook, grappling iron]
2: a light anchor for small boats [syn: grapnel, grapnel anchor]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English grapenel, from Anglo-French grapinel, diminutive of Middle French grapin, diminutive of Old French grape hook, grape stalk, bunch of grapes — more at grape Date: 14th century a small anchor with usually four or five flukes used especially to recover a sunken object or to anchor a small boat — see anchor illustration

U.S. Military Dictionary

(*) In naval mine warfare, a device fitted to a mine mooring designed to grapple the sweep wire when the mooring is cut.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a device with iron claws, attached to a rope and used for dragging or grasping. 2 a small anchor with several flukes. Etymology: ME f. AF f. OF grapon f. Gmc: cf. GRAPE

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Grapnel Grap"nel, n. [OE. grapenel, dim. fr. F. grappin the grapple of a ship; of German origin. See Grape.] (Naut.) A small anchor, with four or five flukes or claws, used to hold boats or small vessels; hence, any instrument designed to grapple or hold; a grappling iron; a grab; -- written also grapline, and crapnel.