on the gripping hand

1 definition found

on the gripping hand - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  on the gripping hand
  
  
     In the progression that starts "On the one hand..." and continues "On
     the other hand..." mainstream English may add "on the third hand..."
     even though most people don't have three hands. Among hackers, it is
     just as likely to be "on the gripping hand". This metaphor supplied
     the title of Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle's 1993 SF novel "The
     Gripping Hand" which involved a species of hostile aliens with three
     arms (the same species, in fact, referenced in juggling eggs). As
     with TANSTAAFL and con, this usage became one of the naturalized
     imports from SF fandom frequently observed among hackers.