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 clyċċan from Proto-Germanic *klēk- (“claw, hand”), from Proto-Indo-European *glēk-, *ǵlēḱ- (“claw, hand; to clutch, snatch”). If so, then cognate with Irish glac (“hand”).
Meanings
(Canada, US) Performing or tending to perform well in difficult, high-pressure situations.
NC State made the most of their overtime possession scoring a touchdown on some very clutch plays. 2006, Bryan Hogan, Three Days for Goodbye, page 19:
It doesn't get more clutch than that! 2009, Mark Stewart, Clutch Performers, →ISBN, page 34:
I start with his most obvious characteristic: he was clutch. He is Mr. Clutch. In the last chapter I mentioned that Bernie Williams was clutch, which was a valid assessment, but nobody on the Yankees was as clutch as Jeter was. 2009, Scott Trocchia, The 2006 Yankees: The Frustration of a Nation, A Fan's Perspective, page 21:
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 clyċċan from Proto-Germanic *klēk- (“claw, hand”), from Proto-Indo-European *glēk-, *ǵlēḱ- (“claw, hand; to clutch, snatch”). If so, then cognate with Irish glac (“hand”).
Meanings
The claw of a predatory animal or bird.
(broadly) A grip, especially one seen as rapacious or evil.
You scold yourself; you know it is only your nerves—and yet, and yet … In a little while, it is impossible to resist the terror that seizes you, and you are helpless in the clutch of an unseen horror. 1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, chapter LVII, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC, page 303:
The more cunning heads thought it was all an expiring clutch at popularity, on the part of a Minister, whom domestic embarrassments, court intrigues, old age, and dropsy soon afterward finally drove from the helm. 1831, Thomas Carlyle, chapter III, in Sartor Resartus: The Life and Opinions of Herr Teufelsdröckh. […], London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 12:
Should when he pleaſes, and on whom he will / Wage war, with any or with no pretence / Of provocation, giv'n or wrong ſuſtained, / And force the beggarly laſt doit, by means / That his own humour dictates, from the clutch / Of poverty, that thus he may procure / His thouſands weary of penurious life / A ſplendid opportunity to die? 1785, William Cowper, “Book V. The Winter Morning Walk.”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC, page 197:
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; […] 1676, Ed[ward] Stillingfleet, “An Answer to T[homas] G[odden]’s Charge of Contradictions, Paradoxes, Reproach of the Second Council of Nice, School Disputes; and to His Parallel Instances”, in A Discourse Concerning the Idolatry Practised in the Church of Rome, […], London: […] Robert White for Henry Mortlock […], →OCLC, part II (Being a Particular Defence of the Charge of Idolatry against the Church of Rome in the Worship of Images), page 786:
A device to interrupt power transmission, commonly used to separate the engine and gearbox in a car.
The pedal in a car that disengages power and torque transmission from the engine (through the drivetrain) to the drive wheels.
Any device for gripping an object, as at the end of a chain or tackle.
A fastener that attaches to the back of a tack pin to secure an accessory to clothing. (See Clutch (pin fastener).)
A small handbag or purse with no straps or handle.
The clutch which I had made to save myself in falling had torn away from this chin-band and let the lower jaw drop on the breast, but little else was disturbed, and there was Colonel John Mohune resting as he had been laid out a century ago. [1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC:
(US) An important or critical situation.
to come in clutch
He is the player who has come through so often in the clutch during his days at Camarillo. 1985 June 1, Johannes Telesaar, “Camarillo Loses in the 4-A Final by a Foot at First”, in Los Angeles Times:
But not just strong women: women who don’t turn to a man in the clutch; women whose strength is inseparable from the walls they’ve built around themselves. 2016 May 1, Frank Bruni, “Jodie Foster Is Still Afraid of Failure”, in The New York Times:
And when it came to the clutch, Johnny Mize, who was washed up five years ago, would crack out a pinch double, or Mickey Mantle, who is not yet ready for the big leagues, would slam out a home run. 1951 October 8, “Baseball: A Great Year”, in LIFE, page 48:
Stempel came through in the clutch again. GM's across-the-board launch of the catalytic converter was a coup that left Ford and Chrysler gaspind in the dust. 2013 May 14, Paul Ingrassia, Joseph B. White, Comeback: The Fall & Rise of the American Automobile Industry, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:
ka ქურო (device to interrupt power transmission) · de Kupplung (device to interrupt power transmission) · is kúpling (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · no koblingspedal (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · et suluseis (critical situation) · et käekott (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · sv koppling (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · ja クラッチバッグ (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · ru су́мка-клатч (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · pl sprzęgło (device to interrupt power transmission) · es clutch (device to interrupt power transmission) · ga ál (device to interrupt power transmission) · fr pédale d'embrayage (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · bg амбреа̀ж (device to interrupt power transmission) · ca embragatge (device to interrupt power transmission) · lv sajūgs (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · mk спојка (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · sh spojka (device to interrupt power transmission) · ru сцепле́ние (device to interrupt power transmission) · ca embragatge (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · uk педа́ль зче́плення (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · sh квачило (device to interrupt power transmission) · mk квачило (device to interrupt power transmission) · sh kuplung (device to interrupt power transmission) · sh куплунг (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · tl daklot (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · de Autofahrertasche (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · bg съединѝтел (device to interrupt power transmission) · hu tengelykapcsoló (device to interrupt power transmission) · fi kytkin (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · et käsitasku (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · pt embreagem (device to interrupt power transmission) · mk спојка (device to interrupt power transmission) · it frizione (device to interrupt power transmission) · fa کلاچ (device to interrupt power transmission) · th คลัตช์ (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · id pedal kopling (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · id kopling (device to interrupt power transmission) · ru переплёт (critical situation) · et häda (critical situation) · eo kluĉado (device to interrupt power transmission) · sv kopplingspedal (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · sh kvačilo (device to interrupt power transmission) · it frizione (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · sh спојка (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · eu enbrage (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · et sidur (device to interrupt power transmission) · sw klachi (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · es embrague (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · et kitsikus (critical situation) · fr embrayage (device to interrupt power transmission) · es cloche (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · vi li hợp (device to interrupt power transmission) · nn clutch (device to interrupt power transmission) · eo kuplado (device to interrupt power transmission) · fr pochette (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · nb clutch (device to interrupt power transmission) · es cloch (device to interrupt power transmission) · is kúpling (device to interrupt power transmission) · bg но́кът (claw of predatory animal or bird) · fi kytkinpoljin (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · pl pedał sprzęgła (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · ko 클러치 (device to interrupt power transmission) · es closh (device to interrupt power transmission) · de Kupplungspedal (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · he מַצְמֵד (device to interrupt power transmission) · ko 클러치 (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · dsb kuplowanka (device to interrupt power transmission) · eo kluĉilo (device to interrupt power transmission) · fr embrayage (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · es cloche (device to interrupt power transmission) · ru переде́лка (critical situation) · eu enbrage (device to interrupt power transmission) · sh куплунг (device to interrupt power transmission) · bg клъч (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · et kaugas (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · nl koppeling (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · sw klachi (device to interrupt power transmission) · he קְלָאץ׳ (device to interrupt power transmission) · th คลัตช์ (device to interrupt power transmission) · es croche (device to interrupt power transmission) · da kobling (device to interrupt power transmission) · cmn 離合器踏板 /离合器踏板 (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · es closh (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · ja クラッチ (device to interrupt power transmission) · hy կցորդիչ (device to interrupt power transmission) · sh kvačilo (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · de Clutch (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · ru педа́ль сцепле́ния (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · sv koppling (device to interrupt power transmission) · es croche (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · ro ambreiaj (device to interrupt power transmission) · lv sajūgs (device to interrupt power transmission) · sh spojka (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · ru клатч (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · pt bolsa carteira (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · es cloch (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · cy cydiwr (device to interrupt power transmission) · lv uzmava (device to interrupt power transmission) · mk квачило (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · el συμπλέκτης (device to interrupt power transmission) · da koblingspedal (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · cs spár (claw of predatory animal or bird) · ga crág (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · sh kuplung (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · ru му́фта (device to interrupt power transmission) · bg съедини́тел (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · nl koppeling (device to interrupt power transmission) · el συμπλέκτης (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · hu kuplung (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · hu tengelykapcsoló-pedál (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · fi kirjekuorilaukku (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · bg амбреа́ж (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · da kobling (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · cmn 離合器 /离合器 (device to interrupt power transmission) · no kløtsjpedal (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · sh спојка (device to interrupt power transmission) · mk куплунг (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · fi kytkin (device to interrupt power transmission) · pl koperta (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · dsb kuplunga (device to interrupt power transmission) · no clutchpedal (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · hu kuplungpedál (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · es clutch (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · pt embreagem (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · nl klauw (device to interrupt power transmission) · mk куплунг (device to interrupt power transmission) · eo kluĉpedalo (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · tr debriyaj (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · sh квачило (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · ru ридикю́ль (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · ro pedală de ambreiaj (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · cs spojka (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · nb kobling (device to interrupt power transmission) · afb كلچ (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · pt embraiagem (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · de Unterarmtasche (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · ko 클러치백 (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · es embrague (device to interrupt power transmission) · tr debriyaj (device to interrupt power transmission) · pl kopertówka (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · cs spojka (device to interrupt power transmission) · nb kløtsj (device to interrupt power transmission) · pt embraiagem (device to interrupt power transmission) · et kimbatus (critical situation) · cs psaníčko (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · et ummikseis (critical situation) · et sidur (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · ja クラッチ (a small handbag or purse with no straps or handle) · nn kløtsj (device to interrupt power transmission) · eo kluĉilo (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission) · hu kuplung (device to interrupt power transmission) · pl sprzęgło (the pedal in a car that disengages power transmission)
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 clyċċan from Proto-Germanic *klēk- (“claw, hand”), from Proto-Indo-European *glēk-, *ǵlēḱ- (“claw, hand; to clutch, snatch”). If so, then cognate with Irish glac (“hand”).
Meanings
(transitive) To seize, as though with claws.
A man may set the poles together in his head, and clutch the whole globe at one intellectual grasp. a. 1700, Jeremy Collier, A Thought:
to clutch power
Is this a Dagger, which I ſee before me, [...] ? / Come, let me clutch thee: / I haue thee not, and yet I ſee thee ſtill. c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 136, column 1:
(transitive) To grip or grasp tightly.
She clutched her purse tightly and walked nervously into the building.
Not that I haue the power to clutch my hand, c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 8, column 1:
To win despite being the only remaining player on one's team, against several opponents.
For quotations using this term, see Citations:clutch.
(broadly) To unexpectedly or luckily succeed in a difficult activity.
Variant form of cletch, from Middle English cleken (“to hatch”), perhaps from Old Norse klekja (“to hatch”).
Meanings
(collective) A brood of chickens or a sitting of bird, monotreme or reptile eggs; a sitting.
For instance, baby chicks influence their mother’s behaviour by giving high piercing cheeps when they are lost or cold. This usually has the immediate effect of summoning the mother, who leads the chick back to the main clutch. 1976, Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene, Kindle edition, OUP Oxford, published 2016, page 82:
(collective) A group or bunch (of people or things).
And, so, although the Zeros knocked out four dive bombers (two of them permanently and two forced to abort), the other eleven made it to a position above Shōkaku, which pulled a neat evasive turn that sent the first clutch of thousand-pound bombs into the sea. 2021 February 3, Drachinifel, 15:30 from the start, in Guadalcanal Campaign - Santa Cruz (IJN 2 : 2 USN), archived from the original on 04 Dec 2022:
No longer would Britons routinely blame the national government when things went wrong. Instead they would demand action from a new clutch of elected mayors, police commissioners and the like. 2012 September 22, “Innovation in Government: Britain's Local Labs”, in The Economist:
bg гру́па (group or bunch) · ru вы́водок (brood of chickens) · bg куп (group or bunch) · cs snůška (brood of chickens) · fi lauma (brood of chickens) · fr nichée (brood of chickens) · pl lęg (brood of chickens) · pl grupa (group or bunch) · cs hlouček (group or bunch) · bg люпи́ло (brood of chickens) · es nidada (brood of chickens) · fr couvée (brood of chickens) · mk пилило (brood of chickens) · gl niñada (brood of chickens)