death grip
Won't let go
A death grip is an extremely tight grasp, as if holding on for one's life: He had a death grip on the steering wheel.
The term often describes excessive tension or an inability to let go, whether physical or figurative: She maintained a death grip on the company long after she should have retired.
Mechanism linking engine to gearbox
- graspSeize or understand
- clenchSqueeze tightly shut
- squeezeFirm bilateral compression
- viceBad habit or deputy
hold · clasp · tighten · wrench · grapple · pincer · latch · fasten
Overly attached, often toxically
- obsessiveConsumed by fixation
- suffocatingDepriving of air
- domineeringAggressively asserting control
- strangleholdOppressive, unbreakable control
monopoly · hoarding · micromanage · territorial · jealous · overbearing
Extreme, overwhelming fear
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- horrorExtreme fear or disgust
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- trepidationFearful uncertainty
fright · apprehension · frozen · paralysis · rigor
Uncontrollable sudden fear
- despairTotal absence of hope
- hopelessnessState without hope
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
- direExtremely serious or urgent
urgency · extremity · plight · struggle · helplessness · last-ditch · frantic · clinging
Continuing despite difficulty
- determinationFirmness of purpose
- stubbornnessRefusal to yield
- resolveFirmness of purpose
- unyieldingRefusing to give way
refusal · obstinacy · doggedness · relentless · uncompromising · unwavering
clutch
Mechanism linking engine to gearbox
vice · hold · clasp · tighten · wrench · grapple · pincer · latch · fasten · stranglehold
possessive
Overly attached, often toxically
- obsessiveConsumed by fixation
- suffocatingDepriving of air
- domineeringAggressively asserting control
stranglehold · monopoly · hoarding · micromanage · territorial · jealous · overbearing
terror
Extreme, overwhelming fear
trepidation · fright · apprehension · frozen · paralysis · rigor
panic
Uncontrollable sudden fear
- despairTotal absence of hope
- hopelessnessState without hope
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
dire · urgency · extremity · plight · struggle · helplessness · last-ditch · frantic · clinging · survival
persistence
Continuing despite difficulty
- determinationFirmness of purpose
- stubbornnessRefusal to yield
- resolveFirmness of purpose
unyielding · refusal · obstinacy · doggedness · relentless · uncompromising · unwavering
- thrillsroller coasters, thrill, adrenaline, skydiving, bungee jump
- death idiomskick the bucket, six feet under, deadbeat, deadpan, bought the farm
- gripsgrasp, pincer grasp, choking up, overgrip, hand hold
- predationstalking, pursuit, pouncing, attack, killing
- predator instinctsprey drive, stalking, pouncing, chasing, pursuit
- riding mistakesbad posture, looking down, slouching, leaning forward, bouncing
death gripletting go
Releasing one's grasp
release · surrender · relinquishment · unclenching · open hand
grip, death, deadly, gripping, deaths, gripped, grips, deaden, deathly