Meaning of “clutches”

Clutches most commonly means a tight grasp or control, as in “in the clutches of,” but it can also be the plural of clutch referring to a brood of eggs, multiple mechanical clutch devices, a type of small handbag (clutch bags), or the verb form “he/she clutches,” meaning “grabs tightly.” Below is a clear breakdown of each sense, how it’s used, and where you’re likely to encounter it.

Core meanings across contexts

The word “clutches” appears in several everyday and specialized contexts. The following list summarizes the primary senses you’ll see in writing and speech.

• Grip or control (noun): The hold one person or thing has over another. Example: “She escaped from his clutches,” meaning she got free of his control.
• Brood of eggs (noun, biology): The eggs produced or incubated by a bird, reptile, or amphibian at one time; plural: clutches. Example: “The researchers counted three clutches this season.”
• Mechanical devices (noun, engineering/automotive): Clutch mechanisms that engage or disengage power transmission; plural: clutches. Example: “A dual‑clutch transmission uses two clutches to shift smoothly.”
• Fashion accessory (noun): “Clutch” bag—a small, strapless handbag; plural: clutches. Example: “The boutique features evening clutches in satin and velvet.”
• Verb form (he/she/it clutches): Third‑person singular of “to clutch,” meaning to seize or hold tightly. Example: “He clutches his phone on crowded trains.”

Together, these senses share the idea of holding or grouping—whether it’s a literal grip, a set of eggs, a device that grabs rotating parts, or a compact bag held in the hand.

Idioms and common phrases

Several fixed expressions use “clutch” or “clutches,” and understanding them helps you choose the right form and tone.

• In the clutches of (someone/something): Under the control or power of. Example: “in the clutches of fear.”
• Escape someone’s clutches: Get free from a person’s control or grasp.
• Clutch at straws: Make a desperate attempt with little chance of success (note: uses “clutch,” not “clutches”).
• In the clutch / a clutch performance: North American sports idiom meaning under high pressure or at a critical moment (adjective/noun “clutch,” not “clutches”).

Use “in the clutches of” for control/hold; reserve “in the clutch” or “clutch performance” for pressure situations, especially in sports or high‑stakes contexts.

Usage examples

These sentences illustrate how “clutches” works across its main senses.

• Grip/control: “The spy slipped from the dictator’s clutches and fled the country.”
• Biology: “Park rangers recorded multiple sea turtle clutches along the protected beach.”
• Mechanical: “Electric vehicles can use single‑speed gearboxes, but some performance models still employ multi‑plate clutches.”
• Fashion: “Holiday clutches are trending in metallic finishes this season.”
• Verb: “She clutches the railing whenever the boat rocks.”

Note how context signals the meaning; the surrounding words (rangers, transmission, runway, etc.) point you to the correct sense.

Forms and word family

Here are the key parts of speech you’ll encounter with this word and how they inflect.

• Noun: clutch (singular), clutches (plural)
• Verb: clutch (base), clutches (third‑person singular), clutching (present participle), clutched (past/participle)
• Adjective (informal): clutch (meaning reliable under pressure; e.g., “a clutch play”)

Only the noun and verb produce “clutches” as a form; the adjective remains “clutch.”

Etymology and development

Clutch traces back to Middle English forms meaning “to grasp” and is related to Germanic roots that imitate the action or sound of grabbing. The “brood of eggs” sense emerged later in English (19th century), while the mechanical “clutch” developed with industrial machinery in the early 1800s. Over time, figurative uses—control, power, pressure situations—grew from the core idea of seizing or holding.

Distinctions and pitfalls

Writers and learners often mix similar‑looking words or nearby idioms. Keep these points in mind.

• Clutches vs. crutches: “Crutches” are supports for walking; “clutches” are grips, egg groups, devices, or handbags.
• In the clutches (of) vs. in the clutch: The former means under someone’s control; the latter is an American sports idiom for pressure moments.
• Countability: A “clutch” of eggs is countable; a person’s “clutches” (grip/control) is typically used in fixed expressions.

Choosing the right form hinges on context and fixed idiomatic patterns; when in doubt, check the surrounding nouns and verbs.

Summary

Clutches can mean a tight grasp or control, multiple sets of eggs, more than one mechanical clutch device, a collection of small strapless handbags, or the verb form “he/she clutches.” Context decides which sense applies, with idioms like “in the clutches of” signaling control and technical or biological settings indicating devices or egg groups.

What is the meaning of the word clutch?

“Clutch” has several meanings, including to grip tightly, a mechanical device in a car that connects and disconnects the engine from the wheels, and as a slang term for being excellent or successful in a crucial situation. It can also refer to a firm grasp, the hands or claws in the act of gripping, or the power or control a person has over another. 
As a verb (to grip):

• To hold firmly: This means to seize and hold something or someone tightly, often out of fear, pain, or worry. 
  • Example: “She clutched the counter to keep from falling”. 
• To attempt to grasp: To make a grab at something, especially when it’s slipping away. 
  • Example: “He clutched at the branch to stop himself from falling”. 

As a noun (a thing):

• Mechanical clutch: A device in a car or other machinery that connects and disconnects the power from the engine to the drive shaft. 
• A grip: The act of holding onto something tightly. 
  • Example: “Her clutch on the glass slipped”. 
• Crucial moment: A critical situation, especially one where heroic or excellent performance is required to succeed. 
  • Example: “He came through in the clutch”. 

As an adjective (describing something): 

• Excellent in a crisis: This slang usage describes a person or action that is highly effective and successful in a high-pressure situation.
  • Example: “That was a clutch play”.

What does it mean when someone is so clutch?

In slang, clutch refers to something done (well) in crucial situation, such as clutch play in sports that pushes a team into victory. More broadly, clutch can characterize something as “excellent” or “effective.”

Have in clutches meaning?

: in someone’s or something’s claws. The hawk had the mouse in its clutches. often used figuratively to indicate control over someone. They were powerless to oppose them. He had them in his clutches.

What does fall into clutches mean?

From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishfall into the hands/clutches of somebodyfall into the hands/clutches of somebodyif something or someone falls into the hands of an enemy or dangerous person, the enemy etc gets control or possession of them He wants to prevent the business falling into the hands of a …