greim, m. (gs. -eama, pl. -eamanna).1. Grip, grasp, hold. ~ a bhreith, a fháil, ar rud, to take, get, hold of sth. Rug sé ~ gualainne orm, he caught me by the shoulder. ~ a bheith agat ar rud, to have hold of sth. Tá ~ crua aige, he has a strong grip. ~ láimhe, hand-clasp. Breith ar ghreim láimhe ar dhuine, to clasp s.o. by the hand. Thug sé leis ar ghreim láimhe é, he took him along by the hand. Bhí an capall ar ghreim sriain leis, he was leading the horse by the bridle. ~ coise, foothold. Tá ~ maith ar a chosa aige, he is firmly planted on his feet. Ghabh siad ~ sa talamh, they took hold in the ground. Bhí ~ daingean acu ar an tír, they had firm control over the country. Tá ~ docht aige ar an airgead, he has the money tightly in his grasp; he keeps a tight hold of money. Bíodh ~ agat ar do chiall, hold on to your senses. Dá mbeadh ~ aige ar mo chuid cainte, if he could only grasp what I say. Ní bhfaighidh siad ~ anois orainn, they won’t catch (up with) us now. Dul i n~ i rud, to get to grips with sth.; to get caught in sth. I n~ sa talamh, established in the ground. I n~ san aill, caught in the cliff. Chuaigh siad i ngreamanna ina chéile, they came to grips with one another. Bhí sé i n~ scornaí, sceadamáin, ann, he had him by the throat. Bheith i n~ ag rud, to be gripped by sth. I n~ ag an eagla, in the grip of fear. Tá sé i n~ ag an namhaid, the enemy has him in his grasp, in his power. Breith ar do ghreamanna, to get one’s grips; to get set for action, to get going properly. Coinnigh do ghreim, hold your grip; hold on. Ná scaoil do ghreim, don’t release your grip. ~ pionsúir, grip of pincers. Wr:~ an tsiosúir, scissors hold. ~ an phortáin, an ghliomaigh, crab-, lobster-, hold; painful grip. ~ an duine bháite, drowning man’s grip, despairing hold. Na greamanna dubha, dark clutches, evil influences. ~ gabha, tuft of hair on fetlock. Mec:Dul i n~, to engage, lock, mesh. ~ brollaigh, loop in pannier to hold release-stick. Lit:~ a ghabháil de, to take hold, possession, of; to catch. ~ a thabhairt ar, to exercise control over. Chuir an bás faoi ghreim é, death seized him. Cuireadh greamanna air, he was confined, imprisoned. An ~ is mó a rug riamh orm, the greatest predicament I was ever in. S.a. cloch11(f).2. Bite. (a)~ a bhaint as rud, to bite sth. Bhain an madra ~ as, the dog bit him. ~ dreancaide, flea-bite. ~ nathrach, snake-bite. Greamanna seabhaic a dhéanamh de rud, to tear sth. to bits. (b)(Of food) Bit, morsel. ~ a ithe, to take a bite. ~ bia, morsel of food. Tabhair ~ aráin dó , give him a bit of bread. ~ agus bolgam, bite and sup. ~ milis, dainty bit. Chleacht siad an ~ maith, they are accustomed to good living. ~ do bhéil a bhaint amach, to scrape a living. Tá ~ a bhéil aige, he is able to sustain himself. An ~ a bhaint as béal duine, to take the bread out of s.o.’s mouth. 3. Stitch. (a) (In sewing) ~ (fuála) a chur i rud, to stitch, to put a few stitches in, sth. Ag cur greama, putting in a stitch. Cuir ~ de shnáthaid ann, stitch it with a needle. ~ gúshnáithe, tack. ~ dearnála, fáithime, lúbóige, darning-, hem-, buttonhole-, stitch. ~ caoch, fagóideachta, laisce, slabhra, snaidhme, trasna, slip-, faggoting-, whip-, chain-, knot-, cross-, stitch. ~ tarfhuaite, overcast stitch. Prov:An té nach gcuirfidh ~ cuirfidh sé dhá ghreim, a stitch in time saves nine. (b)Surg:~ a chur (i gcneá), to insert a stitch (in a wound). (c) (Of sharp pain) ~ glúine, stabbing pain in knee. Greamanna fáis, growing pains. Tháinig ~ an bháis air, he felt the pangs of death. S.a. rith12(o).(Var:pl. ~eanna)
Ní bhfaighidh sé aon ghreim dá dtiteadh an ~ as, he won’t get a bite (to eat) even if his teeth were to fall out of his gums, no matter how much he craves it.