clutch

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /klʌt͡ʃ/ See IPA manual

Freq #10432

Meanings

1

verb
To hold something tightly, usually with your hands.

She clutched her bag tightly as she walked into the building.
2

noun
The pedal or lever that connects and disconnects the engine from the gears in a vehicle.

He released the clutch slowly and pressed the gas.
3

noun
A tense, critical moment when success really matters.

He always plays his best in the clutch.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to hold something tightly,... clasp clench clinghold tight

2 noun · the pedal or lever that... clutch pedal

Word family

Forms clutchedclutchesclutchingclutchingly

Derived forms clutchableclutchfistclutchlessclutchmateclutchplateclutchydeclutchdouble-clutchinterclutchintraclutchmulticlutchpearl-clutching

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

clutch pedal
the foot-operated control that connects or disconnects an engine from its transmission

Noun + noun

Proverbs (1)

See all

A drowning man will clutch at a straw

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…

clucchen Middle English clyċċan Old English *klukkjan Proto-West Germanic *klukjaną Proto-Germanic *klu- Proto-Germanic *glew- Proto-Indo-European cleche Middle English *klēk- Proto-Germanic *glēk- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# clutch

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /klʌt͡ʃ/
**Frequency rank:** 10432

## Meanings
1. To hold something tightly, usually with your hands.
2. The pedal or lever that connects and disconnects the engine from the gears in a vehicle.
3. A tense, critical moment when success really matters.

## Examples
- She clutched her bag tightly as she walked into the building.
- He released the clutch slowly and pressed the gas.
- He always plays his best in the clutch.

## Derived Forms
- clutchable
- clutchfist
- clutchless
- clutchmate
- clutchplate
- clutchy
- declutch
- double-clutch
- interclutch
- intraclutch
- multiclutch
- pearl-clutching

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: clucchen
- Root: clyċċan
- Root: *klukkjan
- Root: *klukjaną
- Root: *klu-
- Root: *glew-
- Root: cleche
- Root: *klēk-
- Root: *glēk-

## 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…

## AI Etymology
Clutch is 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… In present-day use, it can mean to hold something tightly, usually with your hands, or the pedal or lever that connects and disconnects the engine from the gears in a vehicle.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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