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]
Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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173 Moby Thesaurus words for "clutch":
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
Source: Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
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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.
An expiring clutch at popularity. --Carlyle.
But Age, with his stealing steps, Hath clawed me in
his clutch. --Shak.
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.
I must have . . . little care of myself, if I ever
more come near the clutches of such a giant. --Bp.
Stillingfleet.
3. (Mach.) A device which is used for coupling shafting,
etc., so as to transmit motion, and which may be
disengaged at pleasure.
4. Any device for gripping an object, as at the end of a
chain or tackle.
5. (Zo["o]l.) The nest complement of eggs of a bird.
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.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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