- [countable, usually singular] grip (on somebody/something) an act of holding somebody/something tightly; a particular way of doing this synonym grasp
- Keep a tight grip on the rope.
- to loosen/release/relax your grip
- She tried to get a grip on the icy rock.
- The climber slipped and lost her grip.
- She struggled from his grip.
- Try adjusting your grip on the racket.
Extra ExamplesTopics Sports: ball and racket sportsc1- He finally broke her grip and escaped.
- He still had a firm grip on my arm.
- Her upper arms were seized in an iron grip.
- His grip slackened and she tore herself away.
- Hold the microphone in a firm grip.
- Keep a secure grip on the rope at all times.
- Robert tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
- She relaxed her grip on the door frame.
- She slipped and lost her grip of the rope.
- Taking a tight grip on the hook, he began to pull it closer.
- (figurative) Winter still held them in its iron grip.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- firm
- good
- secure
- …
- have
- get
- take
- …
- tighten
- loosen
- relax
- …
- in a/somebody’s grip
- grip on
- break somebody’s grip
- [singular] grip (on somebody/something) control or power over somebody/something
- The home team took a firm grip on the game.
- We need to tighten the grip we have on the market.
- The Prime Minister needs to keep a tight grip on his party.
Extra Examples- We need to keep a tight grip on costs.
- They managed to strengthen their grip on the southern part of the country.
- The Church does not have a strong grip on the population.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- firm
- iron
- powerful
- …
- have
- get
- take
- …
- in something’s grip
- grip on
- come to grips with something
- get to grips with something
- [singular] grip (on something) an understanding of something synonym grasp
- I couldn't get a grip on what was going on.
- You need to keep a good grip on reality in this job.
Extra Examples- The government does not seem to have a very firm grip on the economy.
- She has a tenuous grip on reality.
- [uncountable, singular] the ability of something to move over a surface without slipping
- These tyres give the bus better grip in slippery conditions.
- This type of sole gives a good grip on snow and ice.
- [countable] a part of something that has a special surface so that it can be held without the hands slipping
- the grip on a golf club
- (also hairgrip (both British English), North American English bobby pin)[countable] a small thin piece of metal or plastic folded in the middle, used by women for holding their hair in place
- [countable] a person who prepares and moves the cameras, and sometimes the lighting equipment, when a film is being made see also key gripTopics Film and theatrec2
- [countable] (old-fashioned) a large soft bag, used when travelling
holding tightly
control/power
understanding
moving without slipping
part of object
for hair
job in the movies
bag
Word OriginOld English grippa (verb), gripe ‘grasp, clutch’ (noun), gripa ‘handful, sheath’; related to gripe.
Idioms
See grip in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee grip in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishcome/get to grips with something
- to begin to understand and deal with something difficult
- I'm slowly getting to grips with the language.
- They have so far failed to come to grips with the ecological problems.
get/take a grip (on yourself)
- to improve your behaviour or control your emotions after being afraid, upset or angry
- I have to take a grip on myself, he told himself firmly.
- (informal) Get a grip! (= make an effort to control your emotions)
in the grip of something
- experiencing something unpleasant that cannot be stopped
- a country in the grip of recession
lose your grip (on something)
- to become unable to understand or control a situation
- Sometimes I feel I'm losing my grip.
Check pronunciation:
grip