death grip

noun5

1. •
   An extremely tight grip.

   • The walker held with a death grip to his stick lest he drop it down the hill.
2. •
   The grip of something dead or dying.

   • I gently tore the bloodied piece of paper out from her death grip.
3. •
   A grip that kills.

   • The wolf held the chicken in a death grip until it stopped moving.
4. •
   (slang) A tight grip on the penis during masturbation.
5. •
   A perilous situation or stalemate where failure or death is imminent.

   • The armies came together in a death grip at the bottom of the valley.