gripe / grīp/ • v. 1. inf. express a complaint or grumble about something, esp. something trivial: [intr.] they gripe about the busywork | [with direct speech] “Holidays make no difference to Simon,” Pat griped. ∎  [tr.] dated distress; annoy: there's something griping you.2. [tr.] affect with gastric or intestinal pain: it gripes my belly like a green apple | [as adj.] (griping) then the griping pains started. 3. [tr.] archaic grasp tightly; clutch: Hilyard griped his dagger.4. [tr.] Naut. secure (a boat) with gripes.5. [intr.] Sailing (of a ship) turn to face the wind in spite of the helm.• n. 1. inf. a complaint, esp. a trivial one: his biggest gripe is that he has lost his sense of privacy.2. (usu. gripes) gastric or intestinal pain; colic.3. archaic an act of grasping tightly.4. (gripes) Naut. lashings securing a boat in its place on deck or in davits.DERIVATIVES: grip·er n.

gripe †grasp OE.; seize firmly XIII; †afflict XVI; pinch with pain XVII. OE. str. vb. grīpan = OS. grīpan (Du. grijpen), OHG. grīfan (G. greifen), ON. grípa, Goth. greipan; cogn. with Lith. griebiù. Cf. GROPE. Weak inflexions were established in XV.
Hence gripe sb. XIV; in pl. griping pains, colic XVII.

gripe (gryp) n. severe abdominal pain (see colic).