Meaning & Definition of Clutch in English

1. The act of grasping

• "He released his clasp on my arm"

• "He has a strong grip for an old man"

• "She kept a firm hold on the railing"

2. A tense critical situation

• "He is a good man in the clutch"

3. A number of birds hatched at the same time

4. A collection of things or persons to be handled together

5. A woman's strapless purse that is carried in the hand

6. A pedal or lever that engages or disengages a rotating shaft and a driving mechanism

• "He smoothely released the clutch with one foot and stepped on the gas with the other"

7. A coupling that connects or disconnects driving and driven parts of a driving mechanism

• "This year's model has an improved clutch"

1. Take hold of

• Grab

• "The sales clerk quickly seized the money on the counter"

• "She clutched her purse"

• "The mother seized her child by the arm"

• "Birds of prey often seize small mammals"

2. Hold firmly, usually with one's hands

• "She clutched my arm when she got scared"

3. Affect

• "Fear seized the prisoners"

• "The patient was seized with unbearable pains"

• "He was seized with a dreadful disease"