Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US Und.) something that is easy to achieve or obtain.

1872

in ‘Mark Twain’ Life on the Mississippi (1914) 459: [as spelt] ‘i saw the leather was a grip’ (easy to get).

2. (Aus.) a steady job, regular employment.

1903		Bulletin (Sydney) 24 Sept. 16/2: For myself, I must be goin’ – yes, I must be movin’ quick; / For I’ve got a ‘grip’ with sheep that are a-comin’ up from Vic.
1915		C.J. Dennis Songs of a Sentimental Bloke 123: Grip, occupation, employment.
1919		E. Dyson ‘Joey’s Job’ in ‘Hello, Soldier!’ 76: Providence began this war to find a grip for Jo!
1922		E. Dyson Missing Link 🌐 Ch. vii: ‘Well, how’re yeh likin’ th’ grip, Nickie?’ [...] ‘It is not exacting.’ said the Missing Link.
1941		Baker Popular Dict. Aus. Sl. 32: Grip, a job, regular employment.
1955		N. Pulliam I Travelled a Lonely Land (1957) 233/2: grip – a regular job.

3. (S.Afr.) sexual intercourse.

1977

C. Hope Ducktails in Gray Theatre Two (1981) 40: The little cherry with the blonde hair is good for a grip, ek se.

4. (US black) money; a sum of money.

1991		L. Bing Do or Die (1992) 219: If his mama’s on that shit and he got any little kids in his family, he gonna go out and try to get a grip for his sisters and brothers.
2000		P. Beatty Tuff 9: A prudent motherfucker like me has an IRA account, some short-term T-bills, a grip invested in long-term corporate bonds and high-risk foreign stock.
2002		Cypress Hill Sl. Gloss. 🌐 grip: [...] money.

5. (US campus, also gripa) a substantial amount, a lot of.

1997–2000		College Sl. Research Project (Cal. State Poly. Uni., Pomona) 🌐 Gripa (adv.& adj.) Very; a lot of.
1997–2000		Da Bomb 🌐 13: Grip: A lot; abundance; sufficiency.
1999		J. Ridley Everybody Smokes in Hell 39: Goddam powder cost me a grip.
2003		ElChulo.net homepage 🌐 This is a drawing board for El Chulo, himself, to show the world his Chuloizm. A little bit of Brown Pride, a little visual stimulation for those mind orgasmz. A grip of flicks, the homies, and life images of this Chulo.
2021		T. Swerdlow Straight Dope [ebook] He made a grip of money with those Dull Knife movies.

6. (US campus) a long time.

1997–2001

Online Sl. Dict. 🌐 grip n 1. a long time. Origin: hip-hop slang. (‘We’ve been waiting for a grip.’ ‘It’s been a grip since I saw you.’).

7. (US black) a weapon.

2002

Cypress Hill Sl. Gloss. 🌐 grip: [...] a weapon.

8. (US black) talent.

2002

Cypress Hill Sl. Gloss. 🌐 grip: the talent of an MC.

9. (US black) the face.

2004

Simon & Lusco ‘Back Burners’ Wire ser. 3 ep. 7 [TV script] I know you going to get tired of looking at my ugly-ass grip.