Dictionary definition · clutch
noun
- the act of grasping"he released his clasp on my arm"
- a tense critical situation"he is a good man in the clutch"
- a number of birds hatched at the same time
- a collection of things or persons to be handled together
- a woman's strapless purse that is carried in the hand
- a pedal or lever that engages or disengages a rotating shaft and a driving mechanism"he smoothly released the clutch with one foot and stepped on the gas with the other"
- a coupling that connects or disconnects driving and driven parts of a driving mechanism"this year's model has an improved clutch"
verb
- take into your hands deliberately"The sales clerk quickly seized the money on the counter"
- hold firmly, usually with one's hands"She clutched my arm when she got scared"
- affect"Fear seized the prisoners"
Source: Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).