Word: grip Part of Speech: noun 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). Pronunciation: /ˈɡɹɪp/, [ˈɡɹʷɪp] 1. A hold or way of holding, particularly with the hand. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: It's good to have a firm grip when shaking hands. Example: 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. Labels: uncountable Example: 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. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Near-synonym: handgrip Example: There are several good grips on the northern face of this rock. 4. A place to grip; a handle; the portion of a handle that the hand occupies. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, broadly, countable, ellipsis, uncountable 5. A device, or a portion of one, that grasps or holds fast to something. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: The unthreaded portion of the bolt's shank is called the grip. 6. A device, or a portion of one, that grasps or holds fast to something. Labels: countable, uncountable 7. Control, power, or mastery over someone or something; a tenacious grasp; a holding fast. Labels: countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: We need to get a grip on these spiralling costs. Example: in the grip of a blackmailer 8. Mental grasp. Labels: countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: He's losing his grip – he's practically senile. Example: 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. Labels: countable, uncountable 10. A visual component on a window etc. enabling it to be resized and/or moved by dragging with a mouse or finger. Labels: countable, uncountable 11. A person responsible for handling equipment on the set. Labels: countable, uncountable 12. As much as one can hold in a hand; a handful. Labels: countable, slang, uncountable Example: I need to get a grip of nails for my project. 13. A lot of something. Labels: California, Southern, countable, slang, uncountable Example: That is a grip of cheese. 14. A long time. Labels: California, Southern, countable, slang, uncountable Example: I haven't seen you in a grip. 15. Archaic spelling of grippe (“influenza”). Labels: alt-of, archaic, countable, uncountable Example: She has the grip. Example: 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. 16. A small travelling-bag or gripsack. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: 'I put my grips against the communicating door last night'.