different between clasp vs involve

English

Etymology

Noun dated in the 13th century AD and verb dated in the late 14th century AD; from claspe, possible modification of clapse, which is from Old English clyppan (“to grasp”). Related to English enclasp (“embrace, hold tightly in one's arms”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /klæsp/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /kl??sp/
• Rhymes: -æsp, -??sp

Noun

clasp (plural clasps)

1. A fastener or holder, particularly one that clasps.

   I always have a hard time working the clasp on this necklace!

2. (in the singular) An embrace, a grasp, or handshake.

   He took her hand in a firm clasp.

Translations

Verb

clasp (third-person singular simple present clasps, present participle clasping, simple past and past participle clasped)

1. (transitive) To take hold of; to grasp; to grab tightly.

   They clasped hands and parted as friends.

   • 1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula Chapter 21:

     The poor dear lady shivered, and I could see the tension of her nerves as she clasped her husband closer to her and bent her head lower and lower still on his breast.

2. To shut or fasten together with, or as if with, a clasp.

Synonyms

• beclasp (dated)
• (grasp tightly): begrip, grasp, grip; See also Thesaurus:grasp
• (shut with a clasp):
• (shut as if with a clasp): attach, join, put together; see also Thesaurus:join

Related terms

• enclasp

Translations

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “clasp”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Anagrams

• calps, claps, scalp

English

Alternative forms

• envolve

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin involv?.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?n?v?lv/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?n?v?lv/
• Hyphenation: in?volve

Verb

involve (third-person singular simple present involves, present participle involving, simple past and past participle involved)

1. (archaic) To roll or fold up; to wind round; to entwine.
2. (archaic) To envelop completely; to surround; to cover; to hide.
   • Black vapors, issuing from the vent, involve the sky.
3. To complicate or make intricate, as in grammatical structure.

   • the fallacies that are often concealed in florid, witty, or involved discourses.
4. (archaic) To connect with something as a natural or logical consequence or effect; to include necessarily; to imply.
   • 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost Book II

     He knows / His end with mine involved.

   • a. 1694, John Tillotson, Sermon

     The contrary necessarily involves a contradiction.
5. To take in; to gather in; to mingle confusedly; to blend or merge.
   • 1728-1743, Alexander Pope, The Dunciad

     The gathering number, as it moves along,
     Involves a vast involuntary throng.

   • 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost Book II

     Earth with hell / To mingle and involve.

6. To envelop, enfold, entangle.

   He's involved in the crime.

7. To engage (someone) to participate in a task.

   How can we involve the audience more during the show?

   By getting involved in her local community, Mary met lots of people and also helped make it a nicer place to live.
8. (mathematics) To raise to any assigned power; to multiply, as a quantity, into itself a given number of times.

Synonyms

• imply
• include
• implicate
• complicate
• entangle
• embarrass
• overwhelm

Translations

See also

• involver
• voluble
• involute

References

• involve in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Latin

Verb

involve

1. second-person singular present active imperative of involv?