The act of bending and hammering the point of a nail so it cannot be removed.
The act or process of holding fast; that which serves to hold fast.
to secure anything by a clinch
to get a good clinch of an antagonist, or of a weapon
(obsolete) A pun.
A hitch or bend by which a rope is made fast to the ring of an anchor, or the breeching of a ship's gun to the ringbolts.
A passionate embrace.
So, then, to the health secretary’s “steamy clinch” with Gina Coladangelo, the lobbyist and long-term friend he took on as an aide last year […] 2021 June 25, Marina Hyde, “Matt Hancock, the one-time sex cop now busted for a dodgy clinch”, in The Guardian:
More likely, he was letting her know that his visit this morning was not going to end in a clinch—or something steamier. It was going to be about sitting at a table, drinking coffee and talking. 2015, Judith Arnold, Moondance:
(qualifier:combat sports) The act of one or both fighters holding onto the other to prevent being hit or engage in standup grappling.
(archaic, slang) A prison sentence.
COOMBE: He got the clinch only last week — eighteen months. You see it's no good having anybody here as ain't got a^([sic]) unblemished character. We don't want to have the bluebottles come sniffing round here, do we? 1882, Henry Herman, Henry Arthur Jones, The Silver King:
To bend and hammer the point of (a nail) so it cannot be removed.
To clasp; to interlock.
“Beloved shipmates, clinch the last verse of the first chapter of Jonah—‘And God had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah.’” 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 9, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:
To fasten securely or permanently.
To make certain; to finalize.
I already planned to buy the car, but the color was what really clinched it for me.
Vincent Kompany was sent off after conceding a penalty that was converted by Stephen Hunt to give Wolves hope. But Adam Johnson's curling shot in stoppage time clinched the points. 2011 October 29, Neil Johnston, “Norwich 3 - 3 Blackburn”, in BBC Sport:
To hold firmly; to clench
To set closely together; to close tightly.
to clinch the teeth or the fist
[T]ry if the heads of the nails [of horseshoes] be fast, and whether they be well clinched; if not, send presently for a smith; always stand by while the smith is employed. 1731 (date written, published 1745), Jonathan Swift, “[Directions to Servants.] The Duty of Servants at Inns.”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume XVI, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC, page 175:
To hold a boxing opponent with one or both arms so as to avoid being hit while resting momentarily
To secure a spot (e.g., at the divisional championship) before the end of regular season play by having an insurmountable lead.
It put the U.S. on the brink of clinching a spot in the quarterfinals. 2023 August 31, Seattle Times:
ru обнима́ть (to clasp, to interlock) · ru сда́вливать (to clasp, to interlock) · fr boucler (to secure a spot) · fi puristaa yhteen (to set closely together) · fi halata (to embrace passionately) · ota پرچینلمك (to fasten securely or permanently) · ru сжима́ть (to clasp, to interlock) · fi olla viimeinen niitti (to make certain, finalize) · fi kiinnittää (to fasten securely or permanently) · fi takertua (to clasp, to interlock) · fr remporter (to secure a spot) · fr agrafer (to clasp, to interlock) · fi puristaa (to hold firmly) · fi lukittua (to clasp, to interlock) · fi kotkata (to bend and hammer the point of so it cannot be removed)