stab
/stæb/
stab is pronounced stab (/stæb/). Stab is a verb meaning to thrust a pointed implement into something or someone with a quick, decisive motion. It can also refer to an attempt or sudden act of wrongdoing. The term often carries a sharp, violent connotation and is frequently used in both literal and metaphorical senses. In informal contexts, it can imply a single, brief action rather than a sustained effort.
Stab is a verb meaning to thrust a pointed implement into something or someone with a quick, decisive motion. It can also refer to an attempt or sudden act of wrongdoing. The term often carries a sharp, violent connotation and is frequently used in both literal and metaphorical senses. In informal contexts, it can imply a single, brief action rather than a sustained effort.
"- He tried to stab the attacker with a kitchen knife."
"- She stabbed the pile of wood to light the fire."
"- The knife handle slipped, and he almost stabbed himself."
Pronounce as /stæb/ in US/UK/AU. Start with a short open-front lax vowel /æ/ as in 'cat', immediately release a crisp bilabial stop /b/ with a small burst. The initial consonant is a voiceless /s/ followed by a quick /t/ release leading into /æ/. In careful speech you can hear the /st/ cluster before the /æ/; in rapid speech you may perceive a slight coalescence, but keep the /t/ audibly released. IPA: /stæb/.
Common errors: 1) Slurring the /st/ into a single sound; keep /s/ and /t/ distinct before the /æ/. 2) Lengthening the vowel e.g., /stæːb/; keep the vowel short. 3) Voicing mistake on final /b/ turning it into /p/ or devoicing due to strong aspiration; ensure voicing is present and the lips close firmly for /b/. Practice by isolating the final /b/ with a quick release from /æ/ to /b/.
Across US/UK/AU, /stæb/ remains largely stable. In rhotic US, the /r/ is not involved here since there’s no /r/; however, vowel quality can differ slightly: US often has a slightly lower and tenser /æ/ than some UK varieties. UK and AU maintain /stæb/ with a short /æ/; Australian accents may have a slightly higher tongue position and a more centralized /æ/ depending on region. The final /b/ remains voiced in all. Overall, the most noticeable variation is vowel quality and length, not the consonantal sequence.
The difficulty comes from the tight consonant cluster /st/ immediately preceding the short /æ/ and the aspirated /b/. Learners often run the /t/ into the /æ/ or drop the /s/ altogether, producing /tæb/ or /stab/ with a weakened /b/. Another challenge is maintaining the burst on /t/ while transitioning to /æ/ to avoid vowel-lengthening. Fine-tuning the timing between the aspirated /t/ release and the following /æ/ helps a crisp, natural sounding /stæb/.
The unique feature is the two-stop sequence before a short vowel in a single syllable, forming a strong onset cluster /st/. The /t/ is released into the /æ/ rapidly, so the syllable remains tight and clipped. Also, the transition from the alveolar /t/ to the bilabial /b/ involves a fast lip movement preparing for the final voiced stop. This sharp release pattern is what gives 'stab' its concise, forceful sound.
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The verb stab derives from Old Norse or Proto-Germanic roots related to stabbing or piercing actions. In Middle English, the form staban indicated to stab or thrust with a weapon. Over time, the meaning narrowed to the act of thrusting a pointed object into something or someone, often violently. The word appears in various Germanic languages with cognates reflecting piercing or stabbing actions. Its first exact attestations in English date from the medieval period, where it was used to describe both literal stabbing with weapons and metaphorical actions, such as stabbing at a task or problem. By early modern English, stab had acquired common uses beyond weaponry, including idiomatic expressions like “stab at” meaning to attempt or make a tentative effort. The evolution reflects a broader pattern in which concrete violent actions migrate into everyday expressions, preserving the core idea of a sudden, pointed action combined with initiative or risk. In contemporary usage, stab often appears in crime reporting, medical contexts (e.g., accidental stabs), sports metaphors, and colloquial phrases, retaining its crisp, abrupt connotation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "stab" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "stab"
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