Grap″ple (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Grappled (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Grappling (?).] [F. grappiller, OF. graypil the grapple of a ship, fr. graper to pluck, prop., to seize, clutch; of German origin. See Grape.] 1. To seize; to lay fast hold of; to attack at close quarters: as, to grapple an antagonist.
2. To fasten, as with a grapple; to fix; to join indissolubly.
The gallies were grappled to the Centurion. Hakluyt.
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel. Shak.