Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to apprehend and arrest.

1881		Newcastle Courant 2 Sept. 6/5: With my high character for knuckling, it was enough to be seen in a crowd to ensure my being taken before the queer cuffen if gripped.
1904		Herald & News (Newvberry, SC) 9 Feb. 5/1: Nabbed in Newberry [...] Policeman Koon got on the trail of a young negro [...] and never lost scent of it until he gripped him.
2000		N. Griffiths Grits 60: A stealin buzz elps t’meyk iss bein streyt a bit more bearable like but agen a need t’watch out a don’t get fuckin gripped.

2. (US prison) to curry favour with a more powerful inmate or with the authorities.

1972		D. Claerbaut Black Jargon in White America 67: grip v. […] 2. to beg; plead; place oneself at the mercy of another.
1981		Maledicta V:1+2 (Summer + Winter) 264: Then, there’s the segment of prison society that seeks favor with the authorities or with anyone holding power over it. They stroke or grip the power brokers by playing up to them in hopes of receiving favors, now or in the future.

3. (S.Afr.) to take, to steal.

1974

J. Matthews The Park and Other Stories (1983) 43: Nice jacket yer hef, I tink I grip it.

4. to masturbate.

1971

E.E. Landy Underground Dict. (1972) 93: grip. [...] Masturbate.

5. (UK Black/gang) to obtain money, to enrich oneself.

2013

Stix & M. Dargg ‘It’s Cracking’ 🎵 Smoking dope, steady gripping up.

6. (S.Afr.) to fondle.

1982		P. Slabolepszy Sat. Night at the Palace (1985) 28: I mean surely you gripped her?
1986		P. Slabolepszy ‘Boo to the Moon’ in Mooi Street (1994) 108: He tried to grip you?

7. (UK black/gang) to hold, to use, i.e. a weapon.

2018-20

T. Thorne (ed.) ‘Drill Slang Glossary’ at Forensic Linguistic Databank 🌐 Grip on – hold, wield, handle (e.g a knife).