verb
nab
nab
verb
1
To catch or arrest someone, especially a criminal.
"Police nabbed the shoplifter before he reached the exit."
"She was nabbed for speeding just outside town."
2
To grab or snatch something quickly, often before someone else can.
"I managed to nab the last two tickets online."
How to Use Nab
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo quickly grab hold of something or someone — a person, an item, or an opportunity.
When to use it
Informal; common in everyday speech and news headlines rather than formal writing.
Common pairings
nab a bargain
nab a suspect
nab the last seat
Word Forms
nabbed past tense, nabs plural, nabs singular
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I managed to _____ the last two tickets online.
Etymology
From dialectal English nap, "to seize or grab," likely from an old Scandinavian word meaning to pluck or pinch.