grasping

  • 1Grasping — Grasp ing, a. 1. Seizing; embracing; catching. [1913 Webster] 2. Avaricious; greedy of gain; covetous; close; miserly; as, he is a grasping man. {Grasp ing*ly}, adv. {Grasp ing*ness}, n. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2grasping — index illiberal, insatiable, mercenary, parsimonious, rapacious, venal Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …

    Law dictionary

  • 3grasping — greedy, acquisitive, late 14c., prp. adjective from GRASP (Cf. grasp) (v.) …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4grasping — greedy, avaricious, acquisitive, *covetous Analogous words: rapacious, ravening, ravenous (see VORACIOUS): extorting or extortionate (see corresponding verb at EDUCE) …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 5grasping — [adj] greedy acquisitive, avaricious, avid, close fisted, covetous, desirous, extorting, extortionate, grabby*, itchy*, mean, miserly, niggardly*, penny pinching*, penurious, prehensile, rapacious, selfish, stingy*, tightfisted*, usurious, venal; …

    New thesaurus

  • 6grasping — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ greedy …

    English terms dictionary

  • 7grasping — [gras′piŋ] adj. 1. that grasps 2. eager for gain; avaricious SYN. GREEDY graspingly adv …

    English World dictionary

  • 8grasping — [[t]grɑ͟ːspɪŋ, græ̱sp [/t]] ADJ GRADED (disapproval) If you describe someone as grasping, you are criticizing them for wanting to get and keep as much money as possible, and for being unwilling to spend it. ...a greedy grasping drug ridden… …

    English dictionary

  • 9grasping — /ˈgræspɪŋ / (say grasping), /ˈgrasp / (say grahsp ) verb 1. present participle of grasp. –adjective 2. that grasps. 3. covetous, mean or greedy: *These hard, mean, grasping money grubbers! –henry handel richardson, 1917. –graspingly, adverb… …

  • 10grasping — graspingly, adv. graspingness, n. /gras ping, grahs /, adj. 1. greedy; avaricious: a sly, grasping man. 2. being used to grasp or tending to grasp; tenacious. [1540 50; GRASP + ING2] Syn. 1. covetous, selfish, acquisitive, venal. * * * …

    Universalium