5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Grapple  \Grap"ple\,  v.  i. 
  To  use  a  grapple;  to  contend  in  close  fight;  to  attach  one's 
  self  as  if  by  a  grapple,  as  in  wrestling;  to  close  to  seize 
  one  another. 
 
  {To  grapple  with},  to  enter  into  contest  with  resolutely  and 
  courageously. 
 
  And  in  my  standard  bear  the  arms  of  York,  To  grapple 
  with  the  house  of  Lancaster.  --Shak. 
 
  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]: 
 
  Grapple  \Grap"ple\,  n.  [See  Grapple,  v.  t.,  and  cf  Crapple.] 
  1.  A  seizing  or  seizure;  close  hug  in  contest;  the  wrestler's 
  hold  --Milton. 
 
  2. 
  a  An  instrument,  usually  with  hinged  claws,  for  seizing 
  and  holding  fast  to  an  object;  a  grab. 
  b  (Naut.)  A  grappling  iron. 
 
  The  iron  hooks  and  grapples  keen.  --Spenser. 
 
  {Grapple  plant}  (Bot.),  a  South  African  herb  ({Herpagophytum 
  leptocarpum})  having  the  woody  fruits  armed  with  long 
  hooked  or  barbed  thorns  by  which  they  adhere  to  cattle, 
  causing  intense  annoyance. 
 
  {Grapple  shot}  (Life-saving  Service),  a  projectile,  to  which 
  are  attached  hinged  claws  to  catch  in  a  ship's  rigging  or 
  to  hold  in  the  ground;  --  called  also  {anchor  shot}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  grapple 
  n  1:  a  device  consisting  of  several  hooks  for  grasping  and 
  holding;  often  thrown  with  a  rope  [syn:  {grapnel},  {grappler}, 
  {grappling  hook},  {grappling  iron}] 
  2:  a  dredging  bucket  with  hinges  like  the  shell  of  a  clam  [syn: 
  {clamshell}] 
  3:  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},  {grappling}, 
  {hand-to-hand  struggle}] 
  v  1:  come  to  terms  or  deal  successfully  with  "We  got  by  on  just 
  a  gallon  of  gas."  [syn:  {cope},  {get  by},  {make  out},  {make 
  do},  {contend},  {deal},  {manage}] 
  2:  to  grip  or  seize,  as  in  a  wrestling  match;  "the  two  men 
  grappled  with  each  other  for  several  minutes"  [syn:  {grip}] 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  GRAPPLE 
 
  GRAPh  Processing  LanguagE.  1968. 
 
  ["A  Directed  Graph  Representation  for  Computer  Simulation  of 
  Belief  Systems",  L.G.  Tesler  et  al  Math  Biosciences  2:19-40 
  (1968)]. 
 
 

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