Tra từ clutch - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

clutch [clutch clutches clutched clutching] verb, noun BrE [klʌtʃ] NAmE [klʌtʃ]
verb
1. transitive, intransitive to hold sb/sth tightly
Syn: ↑grip
•~ sth (+ 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
2. transitive, intransitive to take hold of sth suddenly, because you are afraid or in pain
•~ sth He gasped and clutched his stomach.
•~ at sb/sth (figurative)Fear clutched at her heart.
see clutch/grasp at straws at ↑straw
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
n. senses 1 to 2 and n. senses 4 to 5 n. sense 7 and v. Middle English ‘bend, crook’ clitch ‘close the hand’ Old English clyccan ‘crook, clench’ Germanic n. sense 3 and n. sense 6 early 18th cent. northern English cletch Middle English cleck ‘to hatch’ Old Norse klekja

Synonyms:
hold
hold on • cling • clutch • grip • grasp • clasp • hang on
These words all mean to have sb/sth in your hands or arms.
hold • to have sb/sth in your hand or arms: ▪ She was holding a large box. ◇ ▪ I held the baby gently in my arms.
hold on (to sb/sth) • to continue to hold sb/sth; to put your hand on sb/sth and not take your hand away: ▪ Hold on and don't let go until I say so.
cling • to hold on to sb/sth tightly, especially with your whole body: ▪ Survivors ▪ clung to ▪ pieces of floating debris.
clutch • to hold sb/sth tightly, especially in your hand; to take hold of sth 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 sth very tightly with your hand: ▪ Grip the rope as tightly as you can.
grasp • to take hold of sth firmly: ▪ He grasped my hand and shook it warmly.
The object of grasp is often sb's hand or wrist.
clasp • (formal) to hold sb/sth tightly in your hand or in your arms: ▪ They clasped hands ▪ (= held each other's hands) ▪. ◇ ▪ She clasped the children in her arms.
The object of clasp is often your hands, sb else's hand or another person.
hang on (to sth) • to hold on to sth very tightly, especially in order to support yourself or stop yourself from falling: ▪ Hang on tight. We're off!
to hold/clutch/grip/clasp sth in your hand/hands
to hold/catch/clasp sb/sth in your arms
to hold/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp/hang on to sth
to hold/cling/hang on
to hold/clutch/clasp sb/sth to you
to hold/hold on to/cling to/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp/hang on to sb/sth tightly
to hold/hold on to/cling to/clutch/grip/grasp/clasp sb/sth firmly
to hold/hold on to/clutch/grip/clasp/hang on to sb/sth tight

Example Bank:
•He fell back, clutching his chest in agony.
•He felt himself slipping and clutched at a branch.
•Her hands clutched the railing.
•She clutched her handbag tightly in one hand.
•She clutched the letter to her chest.
•He gasped, and clutched his stomach.
•I clutched onto the chair for support.
Derived: ↑catch at somebody

Syn: grab at
noun
1. countable the ↑pedal in a car or other vehicle that you press with your foot so that you can change gear
•Put your foot on the clutch.

2. countable a device in a machine that connects and ↑disconnects working parts, especially the engine and the gears
•The car needs a new clutch.
3. a ~ of sth singular (BrE)a group of people, animals or things
•He's won a whole clutch of awards.
4. clutchesplural (informal)power or control
•He managed to escape from their clutches.
•Now that she had him in her clutches, she wasn't going to let go.
5. countable, usually singular a tight hold on sb/sth
Syn: ↑grip: (figurative)She felt the sudden clutch of fear.
6. countable a group of eggs that a bird lays at one time; the young birds that come out of a group of eggs at the same time
7. countable (NAmE) = ↑clutch bag

Word Origin:
n. senses 1 to 2 and n. senses 4 to 5 n. sense 7 and v. Middle English ‘bend, crook’ clitch ‘close the hand’ Old English clyccan ‘crook, clench’ Germanic n. sense 3 and n. sense 6 early 18th cent. northern English cletch Middle English cleck ‘to hatch’ Old Norse klekja

Collocations:
Driving
Having a car
have/own/ (BrE) run a car
ride a motorcycle/motorbike
drive/prefer/use an automatic/a manual/(NAmE, informal) a stick shift
have/get your car serviced/fixed/repaired
buy/sell a used car/(especially BrE) a second-hand car
take/pass/fail a (BrE) driving test/(both NAmE) driver's test/road test
get/obtain/have/lose/carry a/your (BrE) driving licence/(NAmE) driver's license
Driving
put on/fasten/ (NAmE) buckle/wear/undo your seat belt/safety belt
put/turn/leave the key in the ignition
start the car/engine
(BrE) change/ (NAmE) shift/put sth into gear
press/put your foot on the brake pedal/clutch/accelerator
release the clutch/(especially BrE) the handbrake/(both NAmE) the emergency brake/the parking brake
drive/park/reverse the car
(BrE) indicate left/right
(especially NAmE) signal that you are turning left/right
take/miss (BrE) the turning/(especially NAmE) the turn
apply/hit/slam on the brake(s)
beep/honk/ (especially BrE) toot/ (BrE) sound your horn
Problems and accidents
a car skids/crashes (into sth)/collides (with sth)
swerve to avoid an oncoming car/a pedestrian
crash/lose control of the car
have/be in/be killed in/survive a car crash/a car accident/(NAmE) a car wreck/a hit-and-run
be run over/knocked down by a car/bus/truck
dent/hit (BrE) the bonnet/(NAmE) the hood
break/crack/shatter (BrE) the windscreen/(NAmE) the windshield
blow/ (especially BrE) burst/puncture (BrE) a tyre/(NAmE) a tire
get/have (BrE) a flat tyre/a flat tire/a puncture
inflate/change/fit/replace/check a tyre/tire
Traffic and driving regulations
be caught in/get stuck in/sit in a traffic jam
cause congestion/tailbacks/traffic jams/gridlock
experience/face lengthy delays
beat/avoid the traffic/the rush hour
break/observe/ (NAmE) drive the speed limit
be caught on (BrE) a speed camera
stop sb for/pull sb over for/ (BrE, informal) be done for speeding
(both informal) run/ (BrE) jump a red light/the lights
be arrested for/charged with (BrE) drink-driving/(both US) driving under the influence (DUI)/driving while intoxicated (DWI)
be banned/ (BrE) disqualified from driving

Example Bank:
•Put it into first gear and let the clutch out slowly.
•She fell into the clutches of the rebel forces.
•The driver at the traffic lights was riding his clutch.
•They had him in their clutches.
•The female lays a clutch of about seven eggs, laying one egg each day.