to take a stab at
10
5.3
- phrasal verb
- Informal
- Care to take a stab at it?
- want to take a stab at
- Let me take a stab at
- take a stab at the question
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Watch on YouTubeSo let's take a stab at the throttle here.
- So let's take a stab at the throttle here.
- It does not feel good when you like take a stab at it and you get no attention at all.
- But also, and I'm just taking a stab at this, probably the flora, the mucosa of two partners.
Examples
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Anyone want to take a stab at telling us why?
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Today we're gonna take a stab at America's favorite pastime: baseball.
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I think we could all take a stab at what that story means.
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Let me take a stab at this one.
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But I decided to take a stab at it, and guess what?
Blog text (33) -
I'll take a stab at it!
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Other scientists will certainly take a stab at this.
Blog text (8) -
I'm going to take a stab at this.
Blog text (29) -
As an avid reader, Leiland decided one day to take a stab at writing a book.
Blog text (4) -
I decided to take a stab at solving the puzzle after spending hours struggling.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
To make an effort to do something difficult
∞
1.3
To try to do something that is difficult or new
272
2.5
To try to get something you want by making an effort
102
1.7
Try something for the first time to see if you like it
45
3.7
To try to do something even when success is uncertain
33
4.3
Try doing something, often for the first time
16
4.9
To try to do something, often for the first time
11
3.4
To try doing something you have not done before
8
5.8
To try something for the first time to see if it works
1
7.7
To try something in a careful, experimental way
1
5.3
To try to do something when you are not sure you will succeed
1
7.0
To guess or try something without much information
1
4.1
To try something, especially something new
1
1.6
To do something new to see if you can do it
To make an effort to do something
Antonyms
How Determined
Surface Forms
Morphology
The expression relies on a metaphorical extension of 'stab' from its literal sense (to pierce) to mean 'an attempt' combined with 'take...at' which signals making an attempt; this gives a partial cue to meaning. However, a B1 learner who only knows the literal sense of 'stab' is unlikely to predict the idiomatic 'attempt' sense without prior exposure, so it is not fully transparent.
Etymology
Take a stab at may come from the image of making one quick stab, a single rough try to hit a target or solve a problem, and not a careful action. That's why it means 'to try something', often when you are not sure you will succeed.