grip

Fetched 2026-10-28 (live).

Datamuse reports no synonyms or antonyms for this word.

Verb

1. To take hold (of), particularly with the hand.
   • That suitcase is heavy, so grip the handle firmly.
   • Unfortunately the glue didn't grip, and the whole thing came apart.
   • After a few slips, the tires gripped the pavement.
   • "Grip tightly on the rope!" — "I'm gripping! I'm gripping!"
2. To figuratively take hold of or grasp.
   • We need to grip this problem, not shut our eyes and hope it goes away.
3. Of an emotion or situation: to have a strong effect upon.
   • As the water level began to rise, I was gripped by panic.
4. To firmly hold the attention of.
   • The movie gripped me from beginning to end.

Noun

1. 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.
2. Ability to resist slippage when pressed in contact with another object or surface.
   • These tyres are worn out and don't have much grip.
3. 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.
   • The grip of a sword is part of its hilt.
4. Ellipsis of pistol grip.
5. 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.
6. An apparatus attached to a car (e.g., cable car, funicular car, mine car) for clutching a traction cable.
7. Control, power, or mastery over someone or something; a tenacious grasp; a holding fast.
   • We need to get a grip on these spiralling costs.
   • in the grip of a blackmailer
   • to strengthen one's grip on a company
8. Mental grasp.
   • He's losing his grip – he's practically senile.
   • For God's sake man, stop panicking and get a grip of yourself!
9. 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.
10. A visual component on a window etc. enabling it to be resized and/or moved by dragging with a mouse or finger.
11. A person responsible for handling equipment on the set.
12. As much as one can hold in a hand; a handful.
    • I need to get a grip of nails for my project.
13. A lot of something.
    • That is a grip of cheese.
14. A long time.
    • I haven't seen you in a grip.
15. Archaic spelling of grippe (“influenza”).
    • She has the grip.
16. A small travelling-bag or gripsack.

Noun

1. A small ditch or trench; a channel to carry off water or other liquid; a drain.
2. A channel cut through a grass verge, especially for the purpose of draining water away from the highway.

Verb

1. To trench; to drain.

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wiktionary) · cached copy, not a rewrite.