Definition of grip verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

grip

verb

/ɡrɪp/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they grip	/ɡrɪp/ /ɡrɪp/
he / she / it grips	/ɡrɪps/ /ɡrɪps/
past simple gripped	/ɡrɪpt/ /ɡrɪpt/
past participle gripped	/ɡrɪpt/ /ɡrɪpt/
-ing form gripping	/ˈɡrɪpɪŋ/ /ˈɡrɪpɪŋ/

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hold tightly

[transitive, intransitive] to hold something tightly synonym grasp

grip something ‘Please don't go,’ he said, gripping her arm.
grip on to something She gripped on to the railing with both hands.

Synonyms holdholdhold on ▪ cling ▪ clutch ▪ grip ▪ grasp ▪ clasp ▪ hang onThese words all mean to have somebody/something in your hands or arms.hold to have somebody/something in your hand or arms:

She was holding a large box.
I held the baby gently in my arms.

hold on (to somebody/something) to continue to hold somebody/something; to put your hand on somebody/something and not take your hand away:

Hold on and don’t let go until I say so.

cling to hold on to somebody/something tightly, especially with your whole body:

Survivors clung to pieces of floating debris.

clutch to hold somebody/something tightly, especially in your hand; to take hold of something suddenly:

She stood there, the flowers still clutched in her hand.
He felt himself slipping and clutched at a branch.

grip to hold on to something very tightly with your hand:

Grip the rope as tightly as you can.

grasp to take a strong hold of somebody/something:

He grasped my hand and shook it warmly.

The object of grasp is often somebody’s hand or wrist.clasp (formal) to hold somebody/something tightly in your hand or in your arms:

They clasped hands (= held each other’s hands).
She clasped the children in her arms.

The object of clasp is often your hands, somebody else’s hand or another person.hang on (to something) to hold on to something very tightly, especially in order to support yourself or stop yourself from falling:

Hang on tight. We’re off!

Patterns

to hold/clutch/grip/clasp something in your hand/hands
to hold/clutch/clasp somebody/something in your arms
to hold/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp/hang on to something
to hold/cling/hang on
to hold/clutch/clasp somebody/something to you
to hold/hold on to/cling to/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp/hang on to somebody/something tightly
to hold/hold on to/cling to/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp somebody/something firmly
to hold/hold on to/clutch/grip/clasp/hang on to somebody/something tight

Extra Examples

She gripped hard at the arms of her chair.
Grip the rope as tightly as you can.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb

firmly
hard
tightly
…

preposition

See full entry

interest/excite

[transitive] grip somebody/something to interest or have a strong effect on somebody; to hold somebody’s attention

The book grips you from start to finish.
I was totally gripped by the story.
The campaign gripped people's imagination.
The atmosphere of the World Cup gripped the nation.

have powerful effect

[transitive] grip somebody/something (of an emotion or a situation) to have a powerful effect on somebody/something

I was gripped by a feeling of panic.
A sudden fear gripped me.
Terrorism has gripped the country for the past two years.

move/hold without slipping

[transitive, intransitive] grip (something) to hold onto or to move over a surface without slipping

tyres that grip the road

Word OriginOld English grippa (verb), gripe ‘grasp, clutch’ (noun), gripa ‘handful, sheath’; related to gripe.

See grip in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee grip in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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trait

noun

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