clenchingn.
/ˈklɛnʃɪŋ/ The action of clench v.1 in various senses.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > working with tools or equipment > fastening > [noun] > with nails
nailingc1390
clenchingc1440
clinging1607
clinchinga1714
spiking1775
clench1781
skew nailing1929
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > intelligence, cleverness > wit, wittiness > wit with words > [noun] > play on words, pun > making of
clinching1631
punning1670
clenching1712
the world > action or operation > completing > [noun] > settling conclusively
clenching1880
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > proof, demonstration > [noun] > conclusive proof or argument > use of
clinch1855
clinching1871
clenching1880
c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 80 Clenchynge, retuncio, repancio.
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Rivement, a riueting or clenching.
1712 J. Henley Spectator No. 396. ⁋2 The Monopoly of Punns..The late Invasion..by a little Pretender to Clenching in a neighbouring College.
1850 J. Greenwood Sailor's Sea-bk. 107 Clinching or Clenching, spreading the point of a bolt upon a ring..in order to prevent its drawing.
1880 A. W. Kinglake Invasion of Crimea (ed. 4) VI. ix. 228 That simple clenching of victory..commonly effected by a pursuit of the beaten troops.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
clenchingadj.
That clenches.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > posture > act of drawing body into compact form > [adjective] > clenched > clenching
clinching1567
clenching1789
1789 E. Darwin Bot. Garden: Pt. II 80 And opes his clenching hands.
1850 E. B. Browning tr. Æschylus Prometheus Bound (rev. ed.) in Poems (new ed.) I. 142 The clenching tooth.
1865 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend I. ii. xi. 262 The clenching palm of his left [hand].
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
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n.c1440adj.1789