gripe

[grahyp] /graɪp/
verb (used without object), griped, griping.
1.
Informal. to complain naggingly or constantly; grumble.
2.
to suffer pain in the bowels.
3.
Nautical. (of a sailing vessel) to tend to come into the wind; to be ardent.
verb (used with object), griped, griping.
4.
to seize and hold firmly; grip; grasp; clutch.
5.
to produce pain in (the bowels) as if by constriction.
6.
to distress or oppress.
7.
to annoy or irritate:
His tone of voice gripes me.
8.
to grasp or clutch, as a miser.
9.
Nautical. to secure (a lifeboat) to a deck or against a pudding boom on davits.
noun
10.
the act of gripping, grasping, or clutching.
11.
Informal. a nagging complaint.
12.
a firm hold; clutch.
13.
a grasp; hold; control.
14.
something that grips or clutches; a claw or grip.
15.
Nautical.
  1. a lashing or chain by which a boat is secured to a deck or in position on davits.
  2. Also called gripe piece. a curved timber connecting the stem or cutwater of a wooden hull with the keel.
  3. the exterior angle or curve formed by this piece; forefoot.
  4. the forward end of the dished keel of a metal hull.
16.
a handle, hilt, etc.
17.
Usually, gripes. Pathology. an intermittent spasmodic pain in the bowels.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English gripen, Old English grīpan; cognate with Dutch grijpen, German griefen; see grip, grope
Related forms
griper, noun
gripeful, adjective
gripingly, adverb
Can be confused
grip, gripe, grippe.
Synonyms
1. whine, mutter, carp, rail, bellyache.
Examples from the web for gripe
  • Companies gripe that the strong yen may push them to move operations overseas.
  • What inveterate wearers sometimes gripe about is the niggling pain felt when forced to walk with their feet flat.
  • It appeared on the list in the fourth spot, between treachery and gripe.
  • One big gripe people have about hybrids is they cost a few grand more than similar conventional models.
  • But far be it from me to use this pulpit to lodge a petty personal gripe.
  • Our correspondents in this group have no real comment on our articles but want to gripe about something.
  • And they gripe about the clone troopers' aggressive tactics.
  • Haters might get a bit more traction with the gripe that official stores still don't carry every track ever recorded.
  • Administration officials gripe about other administration officials.
  • My gripe is not only about student's expectations but the administration's expectations in the community college environment.
British Dictionary definitions for gripe

gripe

/ɡraɪp/
verb
1.
(intransitive) (informal) to complain, esp in a persistent nagging manner
2.
to cause sudden intense pain in the intestines of (a person) or (of a person) to experience this pain
3.
(intransitive) (nautical) (of a ship) to tend to come up into the wind in spite of the helm
4.
(archaic) to clutch; grasp
5.
(transitive) (archaic) to afflict
noun
6.
(usually pl) a sudden intense pain in the intestines; colic
7.
(informal) a complaint or grievance
8.
(rare)
  1. the act of gripping
  2. a firm grip
  3. a device that grips
9.
(in pl) (nautical) the lashings that secure a boat
Derived Forms
griper, noun
gripingly, adverb
Word Origin
Old English grīpan; related to Gothic greipan, Old High German grīfan to seize, Lithuanian greibiu
Word Origin and History for gripe
v.

Old English gripan "grasp at, lay hold, attack, take, seek to get hold of," from Proto-Germanic *gripanan (cf. Old Saxon gripan, Old Norse gripa, Dutch grijpen, Gothic greipan, Old High German grifan, German greifen "to seize"), from PIE root *ghreib- "to grip" (cf. Lithuanian griebiu "to seize"). Figurative sense of "complain, grouse" is first attested 1932, probably from earlier meaning "gripping pain in the bowels" (c.1600; cf. bellyache). Related: Griped; griping.

n.

late 14c., from gripe (v.). Figurative sense by 1934.

gripe in Medicine

gripe (grīp)
v. griped, grip·ing, gripes
To have sharp pains in the bowels. n.

  1. gripes Sharp, spasmodic pains in the bowels.

  2. A firm hold; a grasp.

Slang definitions & phrases for gripe

gripe

noun
  1. : I want to clear my desk of various matters, mostly gripes (1934+)
  2. griper (1930s+)
verb
  1. To complain, esp habitually and trivially; groan; bitch, kvetch, piss: He got good and sore and griped (1932+)
  2. To annoy or disgust; afflict; distress: What's griping him is that he can't do anything for the kids (1559+)

[ultimately fr griping of the gut, ''colic, bellyache, stomach cramp'']