different between grasp vs familiarity

English

Etymology

From Middle English graspen, grapsen, craspen (“to grope; feel around”), from Old English gr?psan (“to touch, feel”), from Proto-Germanic *graipis?n?. Cognate with German Low German grapsen (“to grab; grasp”), Saterland Frisian Grapse (“double handful”). Compare also Swedish krafsa (“to scatch; scabble”), Norwegian krafse (“to scramble”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /????sp/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??æsp/
• Rhymes: -æsp

Verb

grasp (third-person singular simple present grasps, present participle grasping, simple past and past participle grasped)

1. To grip; to take hold, particularly with the hand.
3. To understand.

   I have never been able to grasp the concept of infinity.

4. To take advantage of something, to seize, to jump at a chance.

Synonyms

• (grip): clasp, grip, hold tight; See also Thesaurus:grasp
• (understand): comprehend, fathom
• (take advantage): jump at the chance, jump on

Derived terms

• begrasp
• foregrasp
• grasp the nettle

Related terms

Translations

Noun

grasp (plural grasps)

1. (sometimes figuratively) Grip.

   • Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear.
3. Understanding.
   • 1859, George Meredith, The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, Chapter 13:

     There is for the mind but one grasp of happiness: from that uppermost pinnacle of wisdom, whence we see that this world is well designed.

4. That which is accessible; that which is within one's reach or ability.

Translations

Anagrams

• ARPGs, sprag

English

Etymology

From Middle French familiarité, from Latin famili?rit?tem. Displaced native Old English h?wc?þnes.

Morphologically familiar +? -ity

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /f?m?l??æ??ti/
• Rhymes: -æ??ti

Noun

familiarity (countable and uncountable, plural familiarities)

1. The state of being extremely friendly; intimacy.
   • 1677, Hannah Woolley, The Compleat Servant-Maid, London: T. Passinger, p. 2,^[1]

     Do not keep familiarity with any but those, with whom you may improve your time.

2. Undue intimacy; inappropriate informality, impertinence.
3. An instance of familiar behaviour.
4. Close or habitual acquaintance with someone or something; understanding or recognition acquired from experience.

Derived terms

• familiarity breeds contempt

Translations