clutch
verb /klʌtʃ/
/klʌtʃ/
Verb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbspresent simple I / you / we / they clutch | /klʌtʃ/ /klʌtʃ/ |
he / she / it clutches | /ˈklʌtʃɪz/ /ˈklʌtʃɪz/ |
past simple clutched | /klʌtʃt/ /klʌtʃt/ |
past participle clutched | /klʌtʃt/ /klʌtʃt/ |
-ing form clutching | /ˈklʌtʃɪŋ/ /ˈklʌtʃɪŋ/ |
- [transitive, intransitive] to hold somebody/something tightly synonym grip
- clutch somebody/something (+ adv./prep.) He clutched the child to him.
- She stood there, the flowers still clutched in her hand.
- + adv./prep. I clutched on to the chair for support.
Synonyms holdhold- hold on
- cling
- clutch
- grip
- grasp
- clasp
- hang on
- hold to have somebody/something in your hand or arms:
- She was holding a large box.
- I held the baby gently in my arms.
- hold on (to somebody/something) to continue to hold somebody/something; to put your hand on somebody/something and not take your hand away:
- Hold on and don’t let go until I say so.
- cling to hold on to somebody/something tightly, especially with your whole body:
- Survivors clung to pieces of floating debris.
- clutch to hold somebody/something tightly, especially in your hand; to take hold of something suddenly:
- She stood there, the flowers still clutched in her hand.
- He felt himself slipping and clutched at a branch.
- grip to hold on to something very tightly with your hand:
- Grip the rope as tightly as you can.
- grasp to take a strong hold of somebody/something:
- He grasped my hand and shook it warmly.
- clasp (formal) to hold somebody/something tightly in your hand or in your arms:
- They clasped hands (= held each other’s hands).
- She clasped the children in her arms.
- hang on (to something) to hold on to something very tightly, especially in order to support yourself or stop yourself from falling:
- Hang on tight. We’re off!
- to hold/clutch/grip/clasp something in your hand/hands
- to hold/clutch/clasp somebody/something in your arms
- to hold/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp/hang on to something
- to hold/cling/hang on
- to hold/clutch/clasp somebody/something to you
- to hold/hold on to/cling to/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp/hang on to somebody/something tightly
- to hold/hold on to/cling to/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp somebody/something firmly
- to hold/hold on to/clutch/grip/clasp/hang on to somebody/something tight
Extra Examples- She clutched her handbag tightly in one hand.
- She clutched the letter to her chest.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- firmly
- tightly
- desperately
- …
- at
- clutch something in your hand
- clutch something to your chest
- [transitive, intransitive] to take hold of something suddenly, because you are afraid or in pain
- clutch something He gasped and clutched his stomach.
- (figurative) Fear clutched at her heart.
Synonyms holdhold- hold on
- cling
- clutch
- grip
- grasp
- clasp
- hang on
- hold to have somebody/something in your hand or arms:
- She was holding a large box.
- I held the baby gently in my arms.
- hold on (to somebody/something) to continue to hold somebody/something; to put your hand on somebody/something and not take your hand away:
- Hold on and don’t let go until I say so.
- cling to hold on to somebody/something tightly, especially with your whole body:
- Survivors clung to pieces of floating debris.
- clutch to hold somebody/something tightly, especially in your hand; to take hold of something suddenly:
- She stood there, the flowers still clutched in her hand.
- He felt himself slipping and clutched at a branch.
- grip to hold on to something very tightly with your hand:
- Grip the rope as tightly as you can.
- grasp to take a strong hold of somebody/something:
- He grasped my hand and shook it warmly.
- clasp (formal) to hold somebody/something tightly in your hand or in your arms:
- They clasped hands (= held each other’s hands).
- She clasped the children in her arms.
- hang on (to something) to hold on to something very tightly, especially in order to support yourself or stop yourself from falling:
- Hang on tight. We’re off!
- to hold/clutch/grip/clasp something in your hand/hands
- to hold/clutch/clasp somebody/something in your arms
- to hold/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp/hang on to something
- to hold/cling/hang on
- to hold/clutch/clasp somebody/something to you
- to hold/hold on to/cling to/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp/hang on to somebody/something tightly
- to hold/hold on to/cling to/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp somebody/something firmly
- to hold/hold on to/clutch/grip/clasp/hang on to somebody/something tight
Extra Examples- He fell back, clutching his chest in agony.
- Her hands clutched the railing.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- firmly
- tightly
- desperately
- …
- at
- clutch something in your hand
- clutch something to your chest
Word Originverb Middle English (in the sense ‘bend, crook’): variant of obsolete clitch ‘close the hand’, from Old English clyccan ‘crook, clench’, of Germanic origin.
Idioms
clutch/grasp at straws
- to try all possible means to find a solution or some hope in a difficult or unpleasant situation, even though this seems very unlikely
- I know I’m just clutching at straws here, but is it possible that the doctors are wrong?