clutch

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a coupling that connects or disconnects driving and driven parts of a driving mechanism

   this year's model has an improved clutch

2. 2
   noun

   a pedal or lever that engages or disengages a rotating shaft and a driving mechanism

   I smoothly released the clutch with one foot and stepped on the gas with the other.

3. 3
   noun

   a tense critical situation

   I am good in the clutch.

4. 4
   verb

   to hold firmly, usually with one's hands

   I clutched my friend during the scary parts of the movie.

5. 5
   verb

   To seize, as though with claws.

   to clutch power

6. 6
   verb

   To grip or grasp tightly.

   She clutched her purse tightly and walked nervously into the building.

7. 7
   verb

   To win despite being the only remaining player on one's team, against several opponents.

   For quotations using this term, see Citations:clutch.

8. 8
   noun

   A grip, especially one seen as rapacious or evil.

   I muſt have great leiſure, and little care of my ſelf, if I ever more come near the Clutches of ſuch a Giant, who ſeems to write with a Beetle inſtead of a Pen; […]

Etymology

From Middle English clucchen, clicchen, cluchen, clechen, cleken, from Old English clyċċan (“to clutch, clench”), from Proto-West Germanic *klukkjan, from Proto-Germanic *klukjaną, from Proto-Germanic *klu- (“to ball up, conglomerate, amass”), from Proto-Indo-European *glew- (“to ball up; lump, mass”). Cognate with Swedish klyka (“clamp, fork, branch”). The noun is from Middle English cleche, cloche, cloke ("claw, talon, hand"; compare Scots cleuk, cluke, cluik (“claw, talon”)), of uncertain origin, with the form probably assimilated to the verb. Alternative etymology derives Old English clyċċ…