I. ˈgrip verb
( gripped or gript ; gripped or gript ; gripping ; grips )
Etymology: Middle English grippen, from Old English grippan; akin to Old High German gripfen to grip, Old English grīpan to seize, attack — more at gripe
transitive verb
1. : to seize or lay hold on tightly and tenaciously : grasp firmly
2. archaic : to take or get possession of : seize , appropriate
3. : to give a handclasp to
4. : to fasten or attach by a grip or clutch
5.
a. : to make a tenacious impression upon
the pathos of the play gripped the beholders
b. : grasp vt 3
intransitive verb
: to take firm hold
the anchor grips
: close tightly
his jaws gripped
: rivet attention
the story grips
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, partly from Old English gripe grasp, seizure; partly from Old English gripa handful, sheaf; akin to Old English grīpan to seize, attack — more at gripe
1.
a. : an energetic or tenacious grasp : a seizing or clutching of something tightly (as with the hand)
got a good grip on his collar
b. : strength in gripping
c. : manner or style of gripping: as
(1) : a peculiar mode of clasping the hand by which members of a group (as a secret order) recognize or greet one another
(2) : arrangement of and muscular force applied through the hands in grasping something
notice the balanced grip of an expert golfer
2. dialect England : as much as can be gripped : handful
3. : a spasm of pain
4.
a. : power or force of hold or domination : control , mastery
unable to escape the grip of his bad habits
b. : power of apprehension : grasp
he has a thorough grip of his duty now
no real intellectual grip of the subject
5. : a part or device for gripping ; especially : an apparatus attached to a car for clutching a traction cable
6. : a part or device by which something is grasped (as a handle):
a.
(1) : the portion of a firearm gripped by the trigger hand when firing
(2) : either of the pieces (as of wood, plastic, mother-of-pearl) that are fitted one on either side to the portion of the frame of a handgun which forms the grip
b. : the plaited woolen covering on a bell rope — called also sally
7. : a piece of hand luggage (as a suitcase)
the bellboy carried the grips
8. : the total thickness of metal held between the two heads of a rivet in a riveted joint
9. : sceneshifter
10.
[short for gripgrass ]
: cleavers
•
- at grips
III. noun
also gripe ˈgrīp
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English grippe, grip, from Old English grȳpe; akin to Old English & Middle Low German grope pot, Middle Dutch groepe, grope ditch, grope, groppe pot, Old Norse greypa to groove
dialect chiefly England : a small ditch or furrow : gutter
IV. transitive verb
dialect England : trench , drain
V. noun
( -s )
Etymology: by alteration
: grippe