Word of the Day: Grip
To grip something is to hold and control it. This word can be used as a verb or as a noun, but it’s usually in the form of a noun:
- Let me a get a grip on this couch before we move it.
- Do you have a good grip on that?
- Check your grip.
- Don’t lose your grip!
- Tom lost his grip on the box and dropped it.
- The police officers gripped the man by both arms as he was lead away from the courtroom.
- If you don’t grip your phone tightly enough, you might drop it. (grip = hold. The word “hold” is probably better.)
- It’s important to have a strong grip on a football before throwing it.
- Vince has a strong grip. I could feel it when I shook his hand. (This is the kind of thing that a man might say after shaking another man’s hand. Some men squeeze hard when shaking hands. It’s rarely said of a woman because women don’t squeeze hard when they shake hands with another person.)
The word “grip” is commonly found in spoken English when talking about a person’s control over something (tangible or intangible):
- You’ve got to get a grip. (get a grip = stop acting foolishly or try to control yourself)
- You’ve got to get a grip on yourself.
- Donald doesn’t have a firm grip on reality. (a firm grip = understanding)
- It’s time to come to grips with what’s happening. (come to grips = be realistic)
- The leader of the country lost his grip on power and was ousted from his position. (lose one’s grip = lost control)
This word is also used to refer to that part of a bicycle or a motorcycle where your hands go to steer the vehicle:
- The grips on my bike are made of some kind of rubber.
- Sarah needs to get some new grips.
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with G page to see the list of all words starting with letter G. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.