Words / B2

KLUCH/klʌtʃ/

To clutch is to hold something tightly; as a noun, the pedal that disconnects a car’s engine, or a tight grip: clutch a statement; the clutch pedal. Grasp is a close twin; grab is sudden. She clutched the witness statement; the minutes still named the vote. Mix-up: crutch; cluster (already in the dictionary). Do not write clutch for a gentle handshake.

Meaning

To hold something tightly; as a noun, the pedal that disconnects a car’s engine, or a tight grip.

Examples

• “She clutched the witness statement; the minutes still named the vote.”
• “Name the clutch in the driving diagram, which is the pedal sense.”

Good to know

clutch + object; a clutch of (eggs / papers); clutch pedal. Close: grasp. Trap: crutch / cluster. News, driving, and literature. Grip tightly, or a car pedal — specify.

New