grab-all
Definition
- Noun (informal):
- A bag for miscellaneous items: "grab-all" refers to a bag or container used to hold various odds and ends, often without organization.
- A greedy or acquisitive person: In slang, "grab-all" denotes a person who is miserly, selfish, or who takes everything for themselves without consideration for others.
Usage Examples
- A bag for miscellaneous items:
- She threw all her keys, coins, and receipts into the grab-all by the door. (A bag used to store various small, unorganized items.)
- A greedy person:
- He's such a grab-all; he takes the best food from the buffet before anyone else can. (A selfish person who seizes everything for personal gain.)
Advanced Usage
- "to be a grab-all": to describe someone who habitually takes more than their share.
- In the office, he is known as a grab-all, always claiming credit for others' work. (He is recognized as an overly acquisitive individual.)
Variants and Related Words
- Grab (v): to take or seize quickly.
- She grabbed the last piece of cake. (She took it swiftly.)
- Grab bag (n): a bag or container from which items are taken without being seen, often used at parties or fairs.
- The children each pulled a toy from the grab bag. (A bag for random selection.)
Synonyms
- Miser: a person who hoards wealth and spends as little as possible.
- Hoarder: someone who collects and stores large quantities of items, often excessively.
- Scrounger: a person who tries to obtain things, especially money or food, without paying or working.
Related Idioms
- Grab all you can: to take as much as possible, often used to describe selfish behavior.
- At the sale, it was a case of grab all you can. (Everyone tried to take the most they could.)
Notes
- The word "grab-all" is informal and somewhat old-fashioned, but it is still understood in contexts describing either a physical container for odds and ends or a person's greedy character.