A death grip is an extremely tight grip, such as that exerted by a person in a panic for fear for their life. This was commonly thought to be a risk when rescuing a drowning person — that they would cling to their rescuer with a death grip which would cause them both to perish. Investigation showed that this did not actually happen in practise and so breaking a death grip is no longer emphasised in lifesaving. The actual behaviour of a drowning person is more passive as they lack the oxygen to take violent action and an instinctive paddling reflex occurs. The grip can also be lethal to living things.
Famous quotes containing the words death and/or grip:
“Voice number one says,
“I am the leaves. I am the martyred.
Come unto me with death for I am the siren.
I am forty young girls in green shells....””
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
“When I first got here, every time you’d say “breast feeding” on the House floor there would be a snicker.... this has been happening since creation. Can we finally get a grip on it?”
—Susan Molinari (b. 1958)