1. (n.) A gripe or clinching with, or as with, the fingers or claws; seizure; grasp.

2. (n.) The hands, claws, or talons, in the act of grasping firmly; -- often figuratively, for power, rapacity, or cruelty; as, to fall into the clutches of an adversary.

3. (n.) A device which is used for coupling shafting, etc., so as to transmit motion, and which may be disengaged at pleasure.

4. (n.) Any device for gripping an object, as at the end of a chain or tackle.

5. (n.) The nest complement of eggs of a bird.

6. (n.) To seize, clasp, or gripe with the hand, hands, or claws; -- often figuratively; as, to clutch power.

7. (n.) To close tightly; to clinch.

8. (v. i.) To reach (at something) as if to grasp; to catch or snatch; -- often followed by at.

abduct adhere to amount array batch bear hug bind bite body brood budget bunch bundle carry off catch cherish chunk clamp clasp cleave to clench climacteric clinch cling clinging clip clump cluster clutches complication cone clutch control convergence of events count crisis critical juncture critical point crossroads crucial period crunch deal death grip disk clutch dominance domination dose embarrassing position embarrassment embrace emergency exigency extremity farrow fine how-do-you-do firm hold foothold footing freeze to friction clutch fry get gob grab grapple grasp grip gripe group hang on hang on to harbor hatch heap hell to pay high pressure hinge hobble hold hold fast hold on hold on to hold tight hot water how-do-you-do hug hunk imbroglio imperativeness influence iron grip jam keep keep hold of kidnap large amount lay hold of litter lot measure mess mix morass multiple-disk clutch nab nail nest never let go nip number pack parcel parlous straits part pass pickle pinch plate clutch plight portion possession power predicament press pressure pretty pass pretty pickle pretty predicament purchase push quagmire quantity quicksand ration rim clutch rub scrape seize seizure set shanghai slip friction clutch slough small amount snag snatch spat spawn spot squeeze stew stick to sticky wicket strait straits stress sum swamp take take hold of tension tenure throttle tight grip tight spot tight squeeze tightrope toehold tricky spot turn turning point unholy mess urgency young