Clutch

clutch
noun1the 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"[syn: clasp]2a tense critical situation; "he is a good man in the clutch"3a number of birds hatched at the same time4a collection of things or persons to be handled together[syn: batch]5a woman's strapless purse that is carried in the hand[syn: clutch bag]6a 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"7a coupling that connects or disconnects driving and driven parts of a driving mechanism; "this year's model has an improved clutch"
verb1take 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"[syn: seize]2hold firmly, usually with one's hands; "She clutched my arm when she got scared"[syn: cling to]3affect; "Fear seized the prisoners"; "The patient was seized with unbearable pains"; "He was seized with a dreadful disease"[syn: seize]