Lexic.us

Definition of Gripe

1. Verb. Complain. "What was he hollering about?"

2. Noun. Informal terms for objecting. "I have a gripe about the service here"

Definition of Gripe

1. n. A vulture; the griffin.

2. v. t. To catch with the hand; to clasp closely with the fingers; to clutch.

3. v. i. To clutch, hold, or pinch a thing, esp. money, with a gripe or as with a gripe.

4. n. Grasp; seizure; fast hold; clutch.

Definition of Gripe

1. Verb. (obsolete intransitive) To make a grab (''to'', ''towards'', ''at'' or ''upon'' something). ¹

2. Verb. (archaic transitive) To seize, grasp. ¹

3. Verb. (intransitive) To complain; to whine. ¹

4. Noun. A complaint; a petty concern. ¹

5. Noun. (nautical) The name of a specific wire rope, often used on davits and other life raft launching systems. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Gripe

1. to grasp [v GRIPED, GRIPING, GRIPES] - See also: grasp

Medical Definition of Gripe

1. A vulture; the griffin. "Like a white hind under the gripe's sharp claws." (Shak) Gripe's egg, an alchemist's vessel. See: Grype. 1. Grasp; seizure; fast hold; clutch. "A barren scepter in my gripe." (Shak) 2. That on which the grasp is put; a handle; a grip; as, the gripe of a sword. 3. A device for grasping or holding anything; a brake to stop a wheel. 4. Oppression; cruel exaction; affiction; pinching distress; as, the gripe of poverty. 5. Pinching and spasmodic pain in the intestines; chiefly used in the plural. 6. The piece of timber which terminates the keel at the fore end; the forefoot. The compass or sharpness of a ship's stern under the water, having a tendency to make her keep a good wind. An assemblage of ropes, dead-eyes, and hocks, fastened to ringbolts in the deck, to secure the boats when hoisted; also, broad bands passed around a boat to secure it at the davits and prevent swinging. Gripe penny, a miser; a niggard. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Gripe

grinned grinner grinners grinning grinningly grins grinting griot griots grip

grip-car grip car grip cars grip tape gripe (current term) gripe water griped gripeful griper gripers

gripes gripesite gripesites gripeth gripey griphite griphites gripier gripiest

Literary usage of Gripe

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The British Drama: A Collection of the Most Esteemed Tragedies, Comedies (1859)
"gripe. Is not she 1 Clar. Then, my dear, to make our home pleasant, ... gripe. Music, in my house 1 Flip. Nay, she has so much complaisance for you, Sir, ..."

2. The Modern British Drama: In Five Volumes by Sir Walter Scott, Walter Scott (1811)
"So, there's one dispatched ; I must now fiad out gripe. ... gripe. Art thou blind? I have been just under thy nose this hour. Sea. Sir Sea. ..."

3. A Select Collection of Old English Plays by Robert ed Dodsley, William Carew Hazlitt (1874)
"gripe. Tush ! what care I for that ? so he have lands and living enough, ... [Exit gripe.] Now 'twere a good jest, if I could cosen the old churl of his ..."

4. English Synonymes Explained in Alphabetical Order: With Copious by George Crabb (1881)
"TO PRESS, SQUEEZE, PINCH, gripe. PRESS, in Latin press»*, participle of ... and gripe are more properly the actions of animate objects ; the former is ..."

5. The Retrospective Review, and Historical and Antiquarian Magazine by Henry Southern, Nicholas Harris Nicolas (1828)
"gripe. I must confess I have a great respect for a shilling, ... gripe. Now, I hope, you '11 let me go upon my parole, to furnish myself with necessaries. ..."

6. The Century Dictionary: An Encyclopedic Lexicon of the English Language by William Dwight Whitney (1889)
"Forcible retention ; bondage: as, the gripe of a tyrant or a usurer; ... Those That fear the law, or stand within her gripe, For any act past or to come. ..."

Other Resources: