To make a clutching or clatching motion; to grasp or catch something, or the sound/act of doing so.
Possibly a blend or variant of 'clutch' and 'clatch' or 'clack.' This appears to be dialectal or archaic English with unclear etymology.
This word is delightfully obscure—it's the kind of regional dialect word that linguists love because it shows how English varies across places and generations in ways most people never notice.
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