clutch

clutch ¹

 (klŭch)

v. clutched, clutch·ing, clutch·es

v.tr.

1. To grasp and hold tightly: a child clutching a blanket.

2. To seize; snatch: clutched the banana from my hand.

v.intr.

1. To attempt to grasp or seize: clutch at a life raft.

2. To engage or disengage a motor vehicle's clutch.

n.

1. A hand, claw, talon, or paw in the act of grasping.

2. A tight grasp.

3. often clutches Control or power: caught in the clutches of sin.

4. A device for gripping and holding.

5.

a. Any of various devices for engaging and disengaging two working parts of a shaft or of a shaft and a driving mechanism.

b. The apparatus, such as a lever or pedal, that activates one of these devices.

6. A tense, critical situation: came through in the clutch.

7. A small, strapless purse that is carried in the hand.

adj. Informal

1. Being or occurring in a tense or critical situation: won the championship by sinking a clutch putt.

2. Tending to be successful in tense or critical situations: The coach relied on her clutch pitcher.

Idiom:

clutchat straws

To search in desperation for a solution to a difficulty.

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[Middle English clucchen, variant of clicchen, from Old English clyccan; probably akin to Swedish klyka, crotch (of a tree), place where something branches.]

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clutch ²

 (klŭch)

n.

1. The complete set of eggs produced or incubated at one time.

2. A brood of chickens.

3. A group; a bunch.

tr.v. clutched, clutch·ing, clutch·es

To hatch (chicks).

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[Variant of dialectal cletch; akin to Middle English clekken, to hatch, from Old Norse klekja.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

clutch

(klʌtʃ)

vb

1. (tr) to seize with or as if with hands or claws

2. (tr) to grasp or hold firmly

3. (usually foll by: at) to attempt to get hold or possession (of)

n

4. (Mechanical Engineering) a device that enables two revolving shafts to be joined or disconnected as required, esp one that transmits the drive from the engine to the gearbox in a vehicle

5. (Mechanical Engineering) a device for holding fast

6. a firm grasp

7. a hand, claw, or talon in the act of clutching: in the clutches of a bear.

8. (often plural) power or control: in the clutches of the Mafia.

9. (Clothing & Fashion) Also called: clutch bag a handbag without handles

[Old English clyccan; related to Old Frisian kletsie spear, Swedish klyka clasp, fork]

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clutch

(klʌtʃ)

n

1. (Zoology) a hatch of eggs laid by a particular bird or laid in a single nest

2. (Agriculture) a brood of chickens

3. informal a group, bunch, or cluster

vb

(Agriculture) (tr) to hatch (chickens)

[C17 (Northern English dialect) cletch, from Old Norse klekja to hatch]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

clutch¹

(klʌtʃ)

v.t.

1. to seize with or as if with the hands or claws; snatch.

2. to hold tightly.

3. to spellbind; grip a person's interest or emotions.

v.i.

4. to try to seize or grasp (usu. fol. by at): to clutch at a fleeing child.

5. to operate the clutch in a vehicle.

n.

6. the hand, claw, etc., when grasping.

7. Often, clutches. power or control: to fall into the clutches of the enemy.

8. a tight grip or hold.

9. a device for gripping something.

10.

a. a mechanism for engaging or disengaging a shaft that drives a mechanism or is driven by another part.

b. a pedal or other control for operating this.

11. a critical point or moment.

12. a woman's small strapless handbag.

adj.

13. done in a critical situation: a clutch shot that won the game.

14. dependable in crucial situations: a clutch player.

[1175–1225; Middle English clucchen, variant of clicchen, Old English clyccan to clench]

clutch²

(klʌtʃ)

n., v. clutched, clutch•ing. n.

1. a hatch of eggs; the number of eggs produced or incubated at one time.

2. a brood of chickens.

3. a number of similar things or individuals.

v.t.

4. to hatch (chickens).

[1715–25; variant of dial. cletch; akin to Scots cleck to hatch]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Clutch

 a nest of eggs or brood of young. See also brood, cletch, family.

Examples: clutch of chicken; constables [modern]; eggs, 1721; geese, 1885; partridges; squalls, 1825; tempests, 1825.

Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

clutch

Past participle: clutched
Gerund: clutching

Imperative

clutch

clutch

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	clutch - 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" clutches, grip, hold, clasp, clench, grasp choke hold, chokehold - a restraining hold; someone loops the arm around the neck of another person in a tight grip, usually from behind; "he grabbed the woman in a chokehold, demanded her cash and jewelry, and then fled" embrace, embracement, embracing - the act of clasping another person in the arms (as in greeting or affection) prehension, taking hold, grasping, seizing - the act of gripping something firmly with the hands (or the tentacles) wrestling hold - a hold used in the sport of wrestling
	2.	clutch - a tense critical situation; "he is a good man in the clutch" temporary state - a state that continues for a limited time
	3.	clutch - a number of birds hatched at the same time brood - the young of an animal cared for at one time
	4.	clutch - a collection of things or persons to be handled together batch aggregation, collection, accumulation, assemblage - several things grouped together or considered as a whole schmear, schmeer, shmear - (Yiddish) a batch of things that go together; "he bought the whole schmeer"
	5.	clutch - a woman's strapless purse that is carried in the hand clutch bag handbag, purse, bag, pocketbook - a container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women); "she reached into her bag and found a comb"
	6.	clutch - 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" clutch pedal clutch - a coupling that connects or disconnects driving and driven parts of a driving mechanism; "this year's model has an improved clutch" foot lever, foot pedal, treadle, pedal - a lever that is operated with the foot
	7.	clutch - a coupling that connects or disconnects driving and driven parts of a driving mechanism; "this year's model has an improved clutch" clutch pedal, clutch - 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" coupler, coupling - a mechanical device that serves to connect the ends of adjacent objects freewheel - a clutch (as on the rear wheel of a bicycle) that allows wheels to turn freely (as in coasting) friction clutch - a clutch in which one part turns the other by the friction between them transmission system, transmission - the gears that transmit power from an automobile engine via the driveshaft to the live axle
Verb	1.	clutch - 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" prehend, seize nab - seize suddenly rack - seize together, as of parallel ropes of a tackle in order to prevent running through the block claw - clutch as if in panic; "She clawed the doorknob" get hold of, take - get into one's hands, take physically; "Take a cookie!"; "Can you take this bag, please" arrest, collar, cop, nab, nail, apprehend, pick up - take into custody; "the police nabbed the suspected criminals" capture, catch, get - succeed in catching or seizing, especially after a chase; "We finally got the suspect"; "Did you catch the thief?" collar - seize by the neck or collar clasp - grasp firmly; "The child clasped my hands" grip - hold fast or firmly; "He gripped the steering wheel" grab - take or grasp suddenly; "She grabbed the child's hand and ran out of the room" grab, take hold of, catch - take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of; "Catch the ball!"; "Grab the elevator door!" snatch, snatch up, snap - to grasp hastily or eagerly; "Before I could stop him the dog snatched the ham bone" clench, clinch - hold in a tight grasp; "clench a steering wheel" grapple, grip - to grip or seize, as in a wrestling match; "the two men grappled with each other for several minutes"
	2.	clutch - hold firmly, usually with one's hands; "She clutched my arm when she got scared" cling to, hold close, hold tight hold, take hold - have or hold in one's hands or grip; "Hold this bowl for a moment, please"; "A crazy idea took hold of him" cuddle, draw close, nestle, nuzzle, snuggle, nest - move or arrange oneself in a comfortable and cozy position; "We cuddled against each other to keep warm"; "The children snuggled into their sleeping bags"
	3.	clutch - affect; "Fear seized the prisoners"; "The patient was seized with unbearable pains"; "He was seized with a dreadful disease" get hold of, seize overwhelm, sweep over, whelm, overpower, overtake, overcome - overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

clutch

verb

1. hold, grip, embrace, grasp, cling to, clasp She was clutching a photograph in her hand.

2. seize, catch, grab, grasp, snatch I staggered and had to clutch at a chair for support.

noun

1. group, crowd, bunch, cluster, pack, load, bevy He was surrounded by a clutch of pretty girls.

plural noun

1. power, hands, control, grip, possession, grasp, custody, sway, keeping, claws He escaped his captors' clutches by jumping from a moving vehicle.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

clutch ¹

verb

1. To take firmly with the hand and maintain a hold on:

clasp, clench, grab, grapple, grasp, grip, seize.

2. To get hold of (something moving):

catch, grab, seize, snatch.

Informal: nab.

Idiom: lay hands on.

noun

1. The act of catching, especially a sudden taking and holding:

catch, grab, seizure, snatch.

2. An act or means of holding something:

clasp, clench, grasp, grip, hold.

Sports: grapple.

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clutch ²

noun

A number of individuals making up or considered a unit:

array, band, batch, bevy, body, bunch, bundle, clump, cluster, collection, group, knot, lot, party, set.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

سيطرة ، (في) مَخالِب الأعْداءقابِض: جِهازُ تَعْشيقِ تُروس الحَرَكَهقَبْضيَتَمَسَّكُ بِ

chytat sechytit sedržetsevřeníspár

grebhage sig fast iholde hårdt på nogeti kløerne påklo

KupplungKupplungspedalergreifen

συμπλέκτηςσφίγγωντεμπραγιάζ

embraguegarrastratar de agarraraferrarse aagarrar

kytkin

embrayageraccrocher àsaisiragripper

u tuđoj vlasti

kuplung

kúplinggreipargrípa í, òrífahalda fast um

adunghiareafferrareavvinghiarecovatafermaglio

クラッチ

클러치

gniaužtaigriebtis už šiaudonusitverti

grābienssagrābtsajūgssatvertturēt cieši satvertu

greep

kløtsjkløtsjpedalkoblingkoblingspedalkoplingspedal

sprzęgło

embraiagemgarras

власть внешних обстоятельствсхватитьсцепление

zvierať

oprijemati sestiskatizgrabiti

koppling

การควบคุม

debriyajkontrol eden kuvvetsıkı sıkı tutmakyakalamaya çalışmak

vòng kiểm soát

抓住控制离合器紧握陷入某人的控制中

clutch

¹ [klʌtʃ]

A. N

1. (Aut) → embrague m, cloche m (LAm); (= pedal) → (pedal m del) embrague m or cloche m
to let the clutch in → embragar
to let the clutch out → desembragar

2. (= grasp) to make a clutch at sth → tratar de agarrar algo
to fall into sb's clutches → caer en las garras de algn
to get sth out of sb's clutches → hacer que algn ceda la posesión or se desprenda de algo

3. (US) (= crisis) → crisis f inv

B. VT (= catch hold of) → asir, agarrar (esp LAm); (= hold tightly) → apretar, agarrar
she clutched my arm and begged me not to go → se me agarró al brazo y me suplicó que no me marchara

C. VI to clutch at → tratar de agarrar (fig) → aferrarse a
he clutched at my hand → trató de agarrarme la mano
to clutch at a hope → aferrarse a una esperanza
to clutch at straws → aferrarse a cualquier esperanza

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clutch

² [klʌtʃ] N [of eggs] → nidada f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

clutch

[ˈklʌtʃ]

n

(= grip, grasp) → étreinte f, prise f

[car] → embrayage m

vt [+ object] → serrer fort
to clutch at sth (for physical support) → se cramponner à qch; (fig) → sauter sur qchclutch bag n → pochette fclutch pedal n [car] → pédale f d'embrayage

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

clutch

¹

n

(= grip) → Griff m

(Aut) → Kupplung f; to let in/out the clutch → ein-/auskuppeln; clutch pedal → Kupplungspedal nt

(fig) to fall into somebody’s clutches → jdm in die Hände fallen, jdm ins Netz gehen; to be in somebody’s clutches → in jds Gewalt (dat) → sein; to have somebody in one’s clutches → jdn im Netz or in den Klauen haben; he escaped her clutches → er entkam ihren Klauen

vt (= grab) → umklammern, packen; (= hold tightly) → umklammert halten; to clutch something in one’s hand → etw umklammern

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clutch

²

n (of chickens) → Brut f; (of eggs) → Gelege nt

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

clutch

¹ [klʌtʃ]

1. n

a. (Aut) → frizione f; (pedal) → (pedale m della) frizione

b. (grip, grasp) → presa, stretta
to fall into sb's clutches → cadere nelle grinfie di qn

2. vt (catch hold of) → afferrare; (hold tightly) → tenere stretto/a, stringere forte

3. vi to clutch at → cercare di afferrare
to clutch at straws (fig) → crearsi delle illusioni

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clutch

² [klʌtʃ] n (of eggs, chickens) → covata

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

clutch

(klatʃ) verb

1. (with at) to try to take hold of. I clutched at a floating piece of wood to save myself from drowning. klou يَتَمَسَّكُ بِ сграбчвам agarrar chytit se, chytat se ergreifen hage sig fast i; klynge sig til αρπάζωagarrar (millegi järele) haarama قاپ زدن؛ محکم گرفتن takertua se raccrocher לֶהֱאָחֵז בְּחָזקָה पकड़ना obuhvatiti, zgrabiti belekapaszkodik berpegangan grípa í, þrífa afferrare つかもうとする 붙잡다 nusitverti sagrābt; satvert berpaut vastgrijpen gripe hardt fatt i; gripe etter uchwycić się کلکول agarrar a apuca хватать zachytiť sa oprijeti se (česa) mašiti se za gripa [tag] om พยายามยึดไว้ yakalamaya çalışmak 試圖抓住 схоплювати پکڑنا ، قابو میں کرنا chộp 抓住

2. to hold tightly (in the hands). She was clutching a 50–cent piece. vasklou يتشبّث، يقبض بيديه يَتَشَبَّثُ بِ، يَقْبِضُ بِيَدَيْهِ عَلى стискам segurar svírat fest drücken holde hårdt på noget (i hænderne) κρατώ σφιχτά apretar peos pigistama محکم گرفتن puristaa tenir bien serré לֶאֱחוֹז בְּחָזקָה पकड़ zgrabiti, zahvatiti megfog, szorít menggenggam halda fast um tenere stretto しっかりつかむ 꽉 쥐다 gniaužti turēt cieši satvertu genggam stevig vasthoudenholde hardt på ściskać کلکول segurar a ţine strâns сжимать zvierať stiskati držati čvrsto hålla hårt om จับแน่น sıkı sıkı tutmak 緊握 затискувати مضبوطی سے پکڑنا giữ chặt 紧握

noun

1. control or power. He fell into the clutches of the enemy. greep (تَحْتَ) سيطرة ، (في) مَخالِب الأعْداء лапи garras spár die Klauen (pl.) klo; i kløerne på έλεγχος, ισχύςdominio küüsi, küüsis نفوذ؛ قدرت valta (sous les) griffes שליטה चंगुल stisak, zahvat szorítás cengkeraman (í) greipar grinfie 手中 (~의) 수중 gniaužtai tvēriens; grābiens cengkaman greephardt grep, klo, i klørne påszpon زور garras (în) gheare(le) власть, тиски pazúr kremplji kandže klor การควบคุม kontrol eden kuvvet (pençe) 控制 влада دشمن کے نرغے میں آنا nanh vuốt 控制

2. (the pedal operating) a device by means of which two moving parts of an engine may be connected or disconnected. He released the clutch and the car started to move. koppelaar قابِض: جِهازُ تَعْشيقِ تُروس الحَرَكَه клема embreagem spojka die Kupplung koblingspedal; kobling συμπλέκτης αυτοκινήτου embrague sidur کلاج kytkin embrayageמצמד क्लच kvačilo, kuplung kuplung kopling kúpling frizione クラッチ 클러치 sankaba sajūgs klac koppelingkløtsj, koplingspedalsprzęgłoembraiagem ambreiaj сцепление spojka sklopka kvačilo koppling คลัตช์ (รถยนต์) debriyaj 離合器 муфта (зчеплення) کار کے جلانے مین استعمال ہونے والا پرزہ côn 离合器

clutch at straws

to hope that something may help one in a hopeless situation. aan strooihalms vashou تَعَلُّق بِقَشَّه хаващам се за сламка agarrar-se a qualquer coisa chytat se stébla sich an einen Strohhalm klammern klynge sig til et halmstrå τρέφομαι με αυταπάτες aferrarse a cualquier cosa õlekõrrest haarama تلاش برای پیدا کردن راه حل در شرایط دشوار tarttua oljenkorsiin se raccrocher à n'importe quoi מִשעֶנֶת קַש डूबते को तिनके का सहारा slamka spasa minden szalmaszálba belekapaszkodik mengharapkan pertolongan grípa til örþrifaráða aggrapparsi a qualsiasi cosa わらをもつかむ 지푸라기라도 잡다 griebtis už šiaudo ķerties pie salmiņa mengharapkan pertolongan zich aan een strohalm vastklampen gripe etter et halmstrå chwytać się jak tonący brzytwy agarrar-se a qualquer coisa a se agăţa de orice хвататься за соломинку chytať sa slamky oprijemati se poslednje bilke hvatati se za slamku gripa efter ett halmstrå หวังว่าจะได้รับความช่วยเหลือยามยากลำบาก denize düşünce yılana sarılmak 在絕望下隨便抓住一絲可能的希望 хапатися за соломинку ڈوبتے کو تنکے کا سہارا chết đuối cọng rơm cũng vớ 作毫无成功希望的努力，捞救命稻草

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

clutch

→ قَبْض sevření greb Kupplung συμπλέκτης embrague, garras kytkin embrayage u tuđoj vlasti grinfia クラッチ 클러치 greep kløtsj sprzęgło embraiagem, garras власть внешних обстоятельств koppling การควบคุม debriyaj vòng kiểm soát 陷入某人的控制中

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009