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gripe

(grīp)

v. griped, grip·ing, gripes

v.intr.

1. Informal To complain naggingly or petulantly; grumble.

2. To have sharp pains in the bowels.

v.tr.

1. Informal To irritate; annoy: Her petty complaints really gripe me.

2. To cause sharp pain in the bowels of.

3. To grasp; seize.

4. To oppress or afflict.

1. Informal A complaint.

2. gripes Sharp, spasmodic pains in the bowels.

3. A firm hold; a grasp.

4. A grip; a handle.

[Middle English gripen, to seize, from Old English grīpan.]

griper n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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