understanding with difficulty; the lecture was beyond his most strenuous graspings'

the act of gripping something firmly with the hands (or the tentacles)

[ Syn: taking hold , seizing , prehension ]

immoderately desirous of acquiring e.g. wealth; they are avaricious and will do anything for money; casting covetous eyes on his neighbors fields; a grasping old miser; grasping commercialism; greedy for money and power; grew richer and greedier; prehensile employers stingy with raises for their employees

[ Syn: avaricious , covetous , grabby , greedy , prehensile ]