1. (v. t.) To hold firmly; to hold fast by grasping or embracing tightly.

2. (v. t.) To set closely together; to close tightly; as, to clinch the teeth or the first.

3. (v. t.) To bend or turn over the point of (something that has been driven through an object), so that it will hold fast; as, to clinch a nail.

4. (v. t.) To make conclusive; to confirm; to establish; as, to clinch an argument.

5. (v. i.) To hold fast; to grasp something firmly; to seize or grasp one another.

6. (n.) The act or process of holding fast; that which serves to hold fast; a grip; a grasp; a clamp; a holdfast; as, to get a good clinch of an antagonist, or of a weapon; to secure anything by a clinch.

7. (n.) A pun.

8. (n.) A hitch or bend by which a rope is made fast to the ring of an anchor, or the breeching of a ship's gun to the ringbolts.

abduct adhere adhere to affix afford proof of agglomerate anchor ankle annex articulation ascertain assure attach bear hug belay bite boundary bring home to bunch butt carry off cement certify cervix cinch clamp clasp clear up cleave cleave to clench cling cling to clinging clip close quarters closure clot cluster clutch coagulate cohere come together communicate complete conclude confirm congeal conglomerate connect connecting link connecting rod connection converge coupling cramp cuddle death grip decide demonstrate determine dismiss all doubt dispose of dovetail elbow embrace enfold engraft ensure establish fasten find out firm hold fix follow follow from foothold footing freeze to get at gliding joint graft grapple grasp grip gripe grow together hang on hang on to hang together have a case hinge hinged joint hip hold hold fast hold good hold on hold on to hold tight hold together hold water hug insure intercommunicate interface iron grip join joining joint juncture keep hold of kidnap knee knit knuckle link make certain make fast make good make no doubt make no mistake make out make sure make sure of mass meet merge miter moor mortise nail down neck never let go nip persist pivot pivot joint press prove prove to be prove true purchase put to rabbet reassure remove all doubt scarf screw up seam secure see that see to it seizure set set at rest set to settle settle the matter shanghai shoulder show solidify sort out squeeze stay stay put stick stick to stick together stitch suture symphysis take hold of tenure throttle tie rod tight grip tighten toehold toggle toggle joint trice up trim union unite weld wind up wrist