"grapple" in the noun sense

1. grapnel, grapple, grappler, grappling hook, grappling iron

a tool consisting of several hooks for grasping and holding often thrown with a rope

2. clamshell, grapple

a dredging bucket with hinges like the shell of a clam

3. wrestle, wrestling, grapple, grappling, hand-to-hand struggle

the act of engaging in close hand-to-hand combat

"they had a fierce wrestle"

"we watched his grappling and wrestling with the bully"

"grapple" in the verb sense

1. cope, get by, make out, make do, contend, grapple, deal, manage

succeed in doing, achieving, or producing (something) with the limited or inadequate means available

"We got by on just a gallon of gas"

"They made do on half a loaf of bread every day"

2. grapple, grip

to grip or seize, as in a wrestling match

"the two men grappled with each other for several minutes"

Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)

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