FIST

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English fȳst; akin to Old High German fūst ~, Polish pięść, and probably to Old English fīf five Date: before 12th century the hand clenched with the fingers doubled into the palm and the thumb doubled inward across the fingers, the hand closed as in grasping ; clutch , index 5, II. transitive verb Date: 1607 to grip with the ~ ; handle , to clench into a ~