clutch

Sense 1 noun

the act of grasping

he released his clasp on my arm

Sense 2 verb

take hold of; grab

The sales clerk quickly seized the money on the counter

Sense 3 noun

a tense critical situation

he is a good man in the clutch

Sense 4 verb

hold firmly, usually with one's hands

She clutched my arm when she got scared

Sense 5 noun

a number of birds hatched at the same time

Sense 6 verb

affect

Fear seized the prisoners

Sense 7 noun

a collection of things or persons to be handled together

Sense 8 noun

a woman's strapless purse that is carried in the hand

Sense 9 noun

a 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

Sense 10 noun

a coupling that connects or disconnects driving and driven parts of a driving mechanism

this year's model has an improved clutch