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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Grip, n.¹ Also: gryp(e, grippe, gripe. [Northern ME. grip (a 1400, but rare), ON. grip. Rare in Eng. use before the 19th c.]

1. A tight hold or grasp (of the hand, etc. upon an object). Also pl.(1) sing. c1420 Wynt. iii. 293.
Fra he gat that in his grype [C. gripe, W. grip], He leyt abowt hym quhype for quhype [W. quhip] 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. iii. 88.
Sum hang vpon a takill, … Suin fra thair grip sone weschin with the see Id. Æn. v. xiv. 92.
Thar bewchit ankyrris, ferm of grip Ib. xi. xiv. 72.
Evir the sarar this ern strenys hys gryp 1535 Stewart 3676.
Sum held hir grip quhill all hir lyre wes revin 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 106.
No man that held ane grip of the cord could gang by the way a1605 Montg. Misc. P. i. 6.
Let thou hir slippe, … Thou gettis no grippe agane fra sho be gane 1608 Crim. Trials III. 45.
The deponer clappit to my lord and … gat ane grip of his clok, quhilk he pullit to him a1650 Row 331.
Taking a grip of the table to help himself up(2) plur. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. clxxi.
‘Now hald thy grippis’, quod sche, ‘for thy time’ c1475 Wall. xi. 607.
Lo, how he lyis; we may our grippis waill a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 347.
In his grippis and ye gane, He wald ourcum yow ilkane 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. iii. 489.
Thay na grippis thair micht hald for slidder 1535 Stewart 56126.
Fourtie of thame than festnit hes thair grippis vpoun ane tow Ib. 56341.
This ilk Douglas … suddantly Thir four ilkane out of his grippis flang 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 335.
The men lat their gripis gang thair, that he micht gang in him alone 1637 Rutherford Lett. 223.
If.he should say ‘Fend thyself, I will hald my grips of thé no longer’fig. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 15.
Roches sould ryfe, the warld sould hald no grippis

b. pl. (with in or to), a close or firm hold of another person, esp. in struggling. c1500-c1512 Dunb. liv. 17.
Quhai for hir saik … Preiffis maist mychtelye … Sall kis, and withe hir go in grippis 1600–1 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 108/10, 15.
He than saw schir Thomas Erskyne enter in grippis with the erle of Gowrie c1615 Chron. Kings 161.
[He] findis his Maiestie and the Maister in grippis 1607 Melrose Reg. Rec. I. 54.
Thairefter thai gaid in gripis and tuilȝeit 1640 Rutherford Lett. 593.
When ye come to grips with death, the king of terrors

2. fig. Hold, grasp, seizure or control; power or mastery. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1169.
Al the gretest Of gomys that grip has, … Of baronis and burowis [etc.] 1567 Sat. P. v. 40.
Think neuer agane to dwell at hame, Gif ȝe lat ga that is in ȝour grippis 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 46.
Ȝit Chamæleon held the small grip that he had in court 1600 Crim. Trials II. 283.
I cair nocht for all the land I hew in this kingdome, in case I get a grip of Dirleton

3. A seizure of pain; a pang. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlvii. 8.
That absence els does all my bouells byt, Sik gredie grippis I feell befor I gang

4. A connecting strip of land. ?1549 Monro W. Isles 22.
The sea cummis almaist betwix thame, saifand ane small grip of land of the length of twa or thrie pair of buttis, quhilk narrow grip is haldin the march betwix the Iles