grip

GRIP/ɡɹɪp/

Noun pluralgrips

24 meanings of grip

1
verbtransitive or intransitive
To take hold of something tightly with your hand.
Like holding a rope so tightly it cannot slip away.
Grip the handle firmly before you pull.
Her cold fingers could barely grip at all.
Similargrasp, clutch, clasp, grab, seize
Oppositerelease
Note
2
nouncountable or uncountable
The way you hold something with your hand.
Like how tightly your hand closes around a doorknob.
She has a strong grip for someone so small.
Change your grip on the bat before you swing.
Similarhold, grasp, clasp, clutch
3
noununcountable
How well something holds on without sliding or slipping.
Like rubber soles that hold on to a slippery floor.
These tires have great grip on wet roads.
The old shoes lost their grip on the ice.
Similartraction, purchase
4
nounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
Strong control or power over someone or something.
Like a hand that closes around something and will not let go.
The dictator kept a tight grip on the country.
Fear had a strong grip on the whole town.
Similarhold, control, grasp, stranglehold
Note
5
nouncountable or uncountable
The part of an object that you hold with your hand.
Like the padded part of a bicycle handlebar where your hand goes.
The bike's grip felt soft and comfortable.
He wrapped tape around the grip of the tennis racket.
Similarhandle
6
verbtransitive
To take hold of an idea or feeling, as if with your hand.
Like catching an idea the way your hand catches a ball.
She tried to grip the meaning of the strange poem.
He could not grip the idea at first.
Similargrasp, understand, comprehend
7
verbtransitive
To hold someone's attention so they cannot look away.
Like a story that holds you so tight you forget to blink.
The movie gripped the kids from the first minute.
A good story can grip readers for hours.
Similarcaptivate, enthrall, engross, absorb, rivet
Oppositebore
8
verbtransitive
To affect someone very strongly, the way fear or panic can.
Like fear grabbing you and not letting go.
Panic gripped the crowd when the lights went out.
A sudden fear can grip you in the dark.
Similarseize, overwhelm
Note
9
nounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
A clear understanding of something in your mind.
Like holding an idea firmly in your mind the way your hand holds a ball.
She has a good grip on math now.
He lost his grip on what was happening.
Similargrasp, understanding, command, hold
Note
10
nouncountable or uncountable
A worker who moves and sets up equipment on a film set.
The grip carried the heavy camera stand across the set.
She works as a grip on movie productions.

11
nouncountable or uncountable
A part or tool that holds tightly onto something.
Like the claw in an arcade machine that grabs a prize.
The toy crane has a metal grip that picks up blocks.
This clamp's grip holds the wood in place.
Similarclamp
Note
12
nounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
Help, support, or encouragement given to someone.
Like a hand reaching out to help you up.
The older students gave the newcomers a helping grip.
A bit of grip from her friends got her through the week.
Similarhelp, assistance, support, aid, encouragement
Oppositehindrance
13
nounslangcountable or uncountable
The amount of something you can hold in one hand.
Like as much popcorn as you can hold in one closed hand.
He grabbed a grip of candy from the jar and stuffed it in his pocket.
She scooped up a grip of sand and let it slip through her fingers.
Similarhandful, fistful
Note
14
nouncountable or uncountable
A small part of a window you drag with the mouse or a finger to move or resize it.
Like the little handle on a drawer that you pull to slide it.
Drag the grip in the corner to make the window bigger.
Tap and hold the grip to move the box around the screen.
Similarhandle
Note
15
nounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
A person who is helpful, interesting, or someone you look up to.
Like a friend who always has good advice when you need it.
My aunt is a real grip. She always knows how to cheer me up.
Our teacher is such a grip that students stay after class just to talk.
Similargem
16
nouncountable or uncountable
A medium-sized soft bag with two handles, used to carry your things by hand.
Like a soft travel bag you hold by two handles.
She packed a few clothes into her old leather grip for the weekend.
He carried his grip onto the platform and waited for the train.
Similarholdall, carryall, bag
17
nouncountable or uncountable
A part fixed to a cable car that grabs the moving cable to pull the car along.
Like a hand that grabs a moving rope so you get pulled along.
The operator engaged the grip, and the cable car lurched up the steep hill.
A worn grip can slip off the cable and leave the car stuck.
18
noundialectalCaliforniaSoutherncountable or uncountable
A large amount of something.
Like saying you have a ton of something.
There's a grip of leftover pizza in the fridge from last night.
She's got a grip of homework to finish before Monday.
Similarlot, load, ton, bunch, heap
Note
19
noundialectalCaliforniaSoutherncountable or uncountable
A long period of time.
Like saying something took ages.
I haven't seen my cousins in a grip.
We waited a grip for the bus to finally arrive.
Similarwhile, age
Note
20
nouncountable or uncountable
A small bag for carrying clothes and things while you travel.
Like a little travel bag you carry by hand.
He stepped off the train holding a battered leather grip.
She packed only a small grip for the overnight trip.
Similarbag, valise, holdall
Note
21
nounarchaiccountable or uncountable
Archaic spelling of grippe. An old word for the flu.
Half the village came down with the grip that bitter winter.
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 TrueHere, grip is an old spelling of grippe, meaning the flu.
Note
22
noundialectalcountable
A small ditch or channel that carries water away.
Like a small dug line that lets water flow away.
The farmer cleared the grip so rainwater could drain off the field.
A shallow grip ran along the edge of the meadow toward the stream.
Similarditch, trench, channel, drain
Note
23
nouncountable
A small channel cut through the grassy strip beside a road to drain water away.
Like a small gap cut in the grass so water leaves the road.
Workers cut a grip through the verge to stop the road from flooding.
Rainwater drained off the highway through a grip into the ditch.
Similarditch, channel, drain
24
verbdialectaltransitive
To dig a small ditch to drain water away from land.
Like digging a small channel so water can flow off.
Each spring they grip the lower fields to keep them from flooding.
We need to grip the meadow before the heavy rains come.
Similardrain, trench
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of grip apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–21

The verb comes from Old English grippan, meaning to grasp. The noun comes from Old English words for a grasp, hold, or handful.

Meanings 22–24

This comes from Old English words meaning a furrow, ditch, or drain.