Толковый словарь английского языка - clutch

I. verb Etymology: Middle English clucchen, from Old English clyccan Date: before 12th century transitive verb to grasp or hold with or as if with the hand or claws usually strongly, tightly, or suddenly, clench, intransitive verb to seek to grasp and hold , to operate an automobile ~, see: take II. noun Date: 13th century 1. the claws or a hand in the act of grasping or seizing firmly, an often cruel or unrelenting control, power, or possession , the act of grasping, holding, or restraining, 2. a coupling used to connect and disconnect a driving and a driven part (as an engine and a transmission) of a mechanism, a lever (as a pedal) operating such a ~, a tight or critical situation ; pinch , ~ bag, III. adjective Date: 1944 made or done in a crucial situation , successful in a crucial situation , IV. noun Etymology: alteration of dialect English cletch hatching, brood Date: 1721 a nest of eggs or a brood of chicks, group, bunch