'Clutch' definitions:
Definition of 'clutch'
From: WordNet
noun
The act of grasping; "he released his clasp on my arm"; "he has a strong grip for an old man"; "she kept a firm hold on the railing" [syn: clasp, clench, clutch, clutches, grasp, grip, hold]
noun
A tense critical situation; "he is a good man in the clutch"
noun
A number of birds hatched at the same time
noun
A collection of things or persons to be handled together [syn: batch, clutch]
noun
A woman's strapless purse that is carried in the hand [syn: clutch bag, clutch]
noun
A pedal or lever that engages or disengages a rotating shaft and a driving mechanism; "he smoothely released the clutch with one foot and stepped on the gas with the other" [syn: clutch, clutch pedal]
noun
A coupling that connects or disconnects driving and driven parts of a driving mechanism; "this year's model has an improved clutch"
verb
Take hold of; grab; "The sales clerk quickly seized the money on the counter"; "She clutched her purse"; "The mother seized her child by the arm"; "Birds of prey often seize small mammals" [syn: seize, prehend, clutch]
verb
Hold firmly, usually with one's hands; "She clutched my arm when she got scared" [syn: cling to, hold close, hold tight, clutch]
verb
Affect; "Fear seized the prisoners"; "The patient was seized with unbearable pains"; "He was seized with a dreadful disease" [syn: seize, clutch, get hold of]
Definition of 'Clutch'
From: GCIDE
- Clutch \Clutch\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Clutched (kl[u^]cht); p. pr. & vb. n. Clutching.] [OE. clucchen. See Clutch, n.]
- 1. To seize, clasp, or grip with the hand, hands, or claws; -- often figuratively; as, to clutch power. [1913 Webster]
- A man may set the poles together in his head, and clutch the whole globe at one intellectual grasp. --Collier. [1913 Webster]
- Is this a dagger which I see before me . . . ? Come, let me clutch thee. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 2. To close tightly; to clinch. [1913 Webster]
- Not that I have the power to clutch my hand. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Clutch'
From: GCIDE
- Clutch \Clutch\ (kl[u^]ch; 224), n. [OE. cloche, cloke, claw, Scot. clook, cleuck, also OE. cleche claw, clechen, cleken, to seize; cf. AS. gel[ae]ccan (where ge- is a prefix) to seize. Cf. Latch a catch.]
- 1. A gripe or clinching with, or as with, the fingers or claws; seizure; grasp. "The clutch of poverty." --Cowper. [1913 Webster]
- An expiring clutch at popularity. --Carlyle. [1913 Webster]
- But Age, with his stealing steps, Hath clawed me in his clutch. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 2. pl. The hands, claws, or talons, in the act of grasping firmly; -- often figuratively, for power, rapacity, or cruelty; as, to fall into the clutches of an adversary. [1913 Webster]
- I must have . . . little care of myself, if I ever more come near the clutches of such a giant. --Bp. Stillingfleet. [1913 Webster]
- 3. (Mach.) A device which is used for coupling shafting, etc., so as to transmit motion, and which may be disengaged at pleasure. [1913 Webster]
- 4. Any device for gripping an object, as at the end of a chain or tackle. [1913 Webster]
- 5. (Zool.) The nest complement of eggs of a bird. [1913 Webster]
- Bayonet clutch (Mach.), a clutch in which connection is made by means of bayonets attached to arms sliding on a feathered shaft. The bayonets slide through holes in a crosshead fastened on the shaft. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Clutch'
From: GCIDE
- Clutch \Clutch\, v. i.
- 1. To reach (at something) as if to grasp; to catch or snatch; -- often followed by at. [1913 Webster]
- 2. to become too tense or frightened to perform properly; used sometimes with up; as, he clutched up on the exam. [PJC]
Synonyms of 'clutch'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abduct,
- adhere to,
- amount,
- array,
- batch,
- bear hug,
- bind,
- bite,
- body,
- brood,
- budget,
- bunch,
- bundle,
- carry off,
- catch,
- cherish,
- chunk,
- clamp,
- clasp,
- cleave to,
- clench,
- climacteric,
- clinch,
- cling,
- clinging,
- clip,
- clump,
- cluster,
- clutches,
- complication,
- cone clutch,
- control,
- convergence of events,
- count,
- crisis,
- critical juncture,
- critical point,
- crossroads,
- crucial period,
- crunch,
- deal,
- death grip,
- disk clutch,
- dominance,
- domination,
- dose,
- embarrassing position,
- embarrassment,
- embrace,
- emergency,
- exigency,
- extremity,
- farrow,
- fine how-do-you-do,
- firm hold,
- foothold,
- footing,
- freeze to,
- friction clutch,
- fry,
- get,
- gob,
- grab,
- grapple,
- grasp,
- grip,
- gripe,
- group,
- hang on,
- hang on to,
- harbor,
- hatch,
- heap,
- hell to pay,
- high pressure,
- hinge,
- hobble,
- hold,
- hold fast,
- hold on,
- hold on to,
- hold tight,
- hot water,
- how-do-you-do,
- hug,
- hunk,
- imbroglio,
- imperativeness,
- influence,
- iron grip,
- jam,
- keep,
- keep hold of,
- kidnap,
- large amount,
- lay hold of,
- litter,
- lot,
- measure,
- mess,
- mix,
- morass,
- multiple-disk clutch,
- nab,
- nail,
- nest,
- never let go,
- nip,
- number,
- pack,
- parcel,
- parlous straits,
- part,
- pass,
- pickle,
- pinch,
- plate clutch,
- plight,
- portion,
- possession,
- power,
- predicament,
- press,
- pressure,
- pretty pass,
- pretty pickle,
- pretty predicament,
- purchase,
- push,
- quagmire,
- quantity,
- quicksand,
- ration,
- rim clutch,
- rub,
- scrape,
- seize,
- seizure,
- set,
- shanghai,
- slip friction clutch,
- slough,
- small amount,
- snag,
- snatch,
- spat,
- spawn,
- spot,
- squeeze,
- stew,
- stick to,
- sticky wicket,
- strait,
- straits,
- stress,
- sum,
- swamp,
- take,
- take hold of,
- tension,
- tenure,
- throttle,
- tight grip,
- tight spot,
- tight squeeze,
- tightrope,
- toehold,
- tricky spot,
- turn,
- turning point,
- unholy mess,
- urgency,
- young