CLUTCH


Meaning of CLUTCH in English

I. clutch 1 /klʌtʃ/ BrE AmE verb

[ Language: Old English ; Origin: clyccan ]

1 . [transitive] to hold something tightly because you do not want to lose it SYN grip , grasp :

She was clutching a bottle of champagne.

2 . [intransitive and transitive] ( also clutch at somebody/something )

a) to suddenly take hold of someone or something because you are frightened, in pain, or in danger SYN grab :

He clutched at a pillar for support.

Tom fell to the ground clutching his stomach.

b) clutch at sb’s heart if something clutches at your heart, you suddenly feel fear or nervousness

3 . be clutching at straws especially British English to be trying everything possible to find a solution or hope in a difficult situation, even though it will probably be unsuccessful:

I knew that trying the alternative medicine was just clutching at straws.

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THESAURUS

▪ hold to have something in your hand, hands, or arms:

Maria came in holding a letter.

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Can I hold the baby?

▪ grip to hold something very tightly and not let it go:

He gripped her arm so she couldn’t walk away.

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Jenny gripped the side of the boat to steady herself.

▪ clutch to hold something tightly, especially because you do not want to drop or lose it:

A businessman hurried past, clutching his briefcase.

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The little girl clutched onto his hand.

▪ clasp written to hold someone or something tightly, closing your fingers or arms around them:

She was clasping a bunch of small summer flowers.

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He clasped her in his arms and kissed her.

▪ get/take hold of something to take something in your hand or hands and hold it:

I took hold of the handle and pulled as hard as I could.

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Quickly – try and get hold of that frog!

▪ grasp written to take hold of something firmly, especially in a determined way:

She grasped the lowest branch and pulled herself up into the tree.

▪ grab to take hold of something suddenly and often violently:

He grabbed my bag and ran off with it.

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The other man grabbed hold of (=suddenly took hold of ) my arms and threatened me with a knife.

▪ seize /siːz/ written to take hold of something suddenly and often violently:

A police officer ran after him and seized the gun.

▪ hang on (to something) to hold on to something or someone tightly to support yourself:

He hung on to the rail at the back of the motorbike.

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Hang on tight!

▪ keep hold of something to continue to hold something:

Greg was struggling to keep hold of the dog.

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She tried to take her hand away but he kept hold of it.

II. clutch 2 BrE AmE noun

[ Sense 1-2,4: Date: 1600-1700 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ clutch 1 ]

[ Sense 3: Date: 1700-1800 ; Origin: cletch 'clutch' (17-19 centuries) , from cleck 'to hatch' (15-19 centuries) , from Old Norse klekja ]

1 . [countable] the ↑ pedal that you press with your foot when driving a vehicle in order to change ↑ gear , or the part of the vehicle that this controls

2 . sb’s clutches [plural] the power, influence, or control that someone has:

a small boy trying to escape from his mother’s clutches

in sb’s clutches

She’ll have him in her clutches soon enough.

3 . clutch of something a small group of similar things:

a clutch of eggs (=the number of eggs laid by a bird at one time)

a clutch of young mothers

4 . [singular] a tight hold that someone has on something SYN grip , grasp :

I shook myself free of her clutch.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.