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.