grip en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈɡɹɪp/
- [ˈɡɹʷɪp]
- (US) audio
Etymology
Verb from Middle English grippen, from Old English grippan, from a Proto-Germanic *gripjaną (compare Old High German gripfen); compare the related Old English grīpan, whence English gripe. See also grope, and the related Proto-Germanic *grīpaną. Noun from Middle English grippe, gripe, an amalgam of Old English gripe (“grasp, hold”) (cognate with German Griff) and Old English gripa (“handful”) (cognate with Swedish grepp).
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand.
It's good to have a firm grip when shaking hands.
The ball will move differently depending on the grip used when throwing it.
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(uncountable) Ability to resist slippage when pressed in contact with another object or surface.
These tyres are worn out and don't have much grip.
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(countable, uncountable) A place to grip; a handle; the portion of a handle that the hand occupies.
There are several good grips on the northern face of this rock.
Near-synonym: handgrip
The grip of a sword is part of its hilt.
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(abbreviation, alt-of, broadly, countable, ellipsis, uncountable) A place to grip; a handle; the portion of a handle that the hand occupies. ▸ Ellipsis of pistol grip.
alt of pistol grip
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(countable, uncountable) A device, or a portion of one, that grasps or holds fast to something.
The unthreaded portion of the bolt's shank is called the grip.
- (countable, uncountable) A device, or a portion of one, that grasps or holds fast to something. ▸ An apparatus attached to a car (e.g., cable car, funicular car, mine car) for clutching a traction cable.
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(countable, figuratively, uncountable) Control, power, or mastery over someone or something; a tenacious grasp; a holding fast.
On the western sector, General Maltby tried to free the Japanese grip on Shouson Hill and Repulse Bay by sending the Punjabis to advance from Aberdeen to clear the road.
1978, G. B. Endacott, “The Assault on the Island: the First Three Days”, in Hong Kong Eclipse, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 94:We need to get a grip on these spiralling costs.
The current president toppled his uncle in a violent coup in 1979, before sentencing him to death by firing squad. Since then, he has consolidated his grip over the country's industries and is accused of diverting tax money into his personal accounts.
2016 June 22, Max Bearak, “The world’s longest-serving president just appointed his son as VP”, in The Washington Post:to strengthen one's grip on a company
Dotcom mania was slow in coming to higher education, but now it has the venerable industry firmly in its grip. Since the launch early last year of Udacity and Coursera, two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations.
2013 July 20, “The attack of the MOOCs”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:Instead England produced something that felt a little transgressive in this most controlled of stages, tightening their grip in a bruising first half, before freewheeling downhill in the second with their feet up on the handlebars.
2022 November 21, Barney Ronay, “Iran’s brave and powerful gesture is a small wonder from a World Cup of woe”, in The Guardian:in the grip of a blackmailer
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(countable, figuratively, uncountable) Mental grasp.
For God's sake man, stop panicking and get a grip of yourself!
He's losing his grip – he's practically senile.
- (countable, uncountable) A medium-sized bag or holdall for one's belongings, made of soft leather, canvas etc., and carried in the hand by two handles, one either side of the opening.
- (countable, uncountable) A visual component on a window etc. enabling it to be resized and/or moved by dragging with a mouse or finger.
- (countable, qualifier:film or television production, uncountable) A person responsible for handling equipment on the set.
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(countable, slang, uncountable) As much as one can hold in a hand; a handful.
I need to get a grip of nails for my project.
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(California, Southern, countable, slang, uncountable) A lot of something.
That is a grip of cheese.
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(California, Southern, countable, slang, uncountable) A long time.
I haven't seen you in a grip.
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(alt-of, archaic, countable, uncountable) Archaic spelling of grippe (“influenza”).
alt of grippe
It so happened that, during a stretch of inclement weather in the fall, Lester was seized with a mild form of grip. When he felt the first symptoms he thought that his indisposition would be a matter of short duration, and tried to overcome it by taking a hot bath and a liberal dose of quinine. But the infection was stronger than he counted on; by morning he was flat on his back, with a severe fever and a splitting headache.
1911, Theodore Dreiser, chapter XXXII, in Jennie Gerhardt:She has the grip.
Grip! Grip!! The little touch of grip you had is no excuse for following the example of some of our "best citizens" who make every little ailment a pretext for dallying with the "demon"!!!!!
1908, A.D. Condo, The Outbursts of Everett True:
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(countable, qualifier:archaic except rail transport, uncountable) A small travelling-bag or gripsack.
'I put my grips against the communicating door last night'.
1934, Agatha Christie, chapter 4, in Murder on the Orient Express, London: HarperCollins, published 2017, page 35:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| grips | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
multi-grip bar · girl grip · grip tape · passgrip · finger grip · death grip · grip wax · overgrip · gaffer grip · pass grip · neutral grip bar · hairgrip · hair grip · Italian grip · twistgrip · mechanic's grip · suicide grip · Biddle grip · French grip · floorgrip · key grip · German grip · pistol grip · gripless · grip-car · matched grip · mixed grip · gangsta grip · bow grip · misgrip · get a grip · handgrip · undergrip · American grip · umbegrip · in the grip of · squirrel grip · false grip · neutral grip · kirby grip · grip car · grip-and-grin · gripman · grip panel · gripper · dolly grip · come to grips · get to grips with · foregrip · bugger's grip · skeleton grip · grippie · grip case · devil's grip · deck grip · hair-grip · grip-lit · traditional grip · grip grain · Singapore grip · sweetheart grip
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (82)
nl greep (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · az tutuş (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · fi ote (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · ru ру́чка (A handle or other place to grip) · mk фат (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · sh хва̑т (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · cs držadlo (A handle or other place to grip) · nl grip (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · fr poigne (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · nl begrip (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · ckb چنگ (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · bg улавяне (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · pl chwyt (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · pdt Jräp (A handle or other place to grip) · fr prise (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · cs stisk (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · pt agarro (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · pt agarramento (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · de Griff (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · es agarradera (A handle or other place to grip) · sv handslag (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · cs sevření (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · ru держа́ние (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · ru схва́тывание (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · ru уде́рживание (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · da greb (A handle or other place to grip) · de Hilfe (Assistance, encouragement) · oc ponha (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · mi puringa (A handle or other place to grip) · bg ръкохватка (A handle or other place to grip) · bg стискане (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · sh zahvat (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · ja つかむこと (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · pdt Hool (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · oc agafada (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · de helfende Hand (Assistance, encouragement) · pl uścisk (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · sv passare (A person responsible for handling equipment in film) · cs uchopení (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · bg хващане (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · hy բռնակ (A handle or other place to grip) · de Griff (A handle or other place to grip) · pt agarra (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · es agarre (ability to resist slippage when pressed in contact with another object or surface) · fr machiniste (A person responsible for handling equipment in film) · fi kahva (A handle or other place to grip) · bg дръжка (A handle or other place to grip) · mk рачка (A handle or other place to grip) · it presa (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · nl handvat (A handle or other place to grip) · ar مَقْبِض (A handle or other place to grip) · la ampla (A handle or other place to grip) · mn бариул (A handle or other place to grip) · oc presa (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · eo tenilo (A handle or other place to grip) · ru хва́тка (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · ta ஊக்கம் (Assistance, encouragement) · mi kākatitanga (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · fi ote (A handle or other place to grip) · hy կոթ (A handle or other place to grip) · ga greim (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · fr poignée (A handle or other place to grip) · sv grepp (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · cmn 柄 (A handle or other place to grip) · hy բռնում (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · sh hvȃt (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · cs rukojeť (A handle or other place to grip) · oc agafatal (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · pl uchwyt (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · ckb دەسک (A handle or other place to grip) · es agarradero (A handle or other place to grip) · ru рукоя́тка (A handle or other place to grip) · ta கைப்பிடி (A handle or other place to grip) · lv tvēriens (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · ru сжа́тие (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · mk стисок (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · sv grepp (A handle or other place to grip) · ru зажа́тие (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · ta கைப்பிடி (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · mk зафат (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand) · pt agarra (A handle or other place to grip) · ru захва́т (A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand)