A tight grip or control over something, or the act of gripping tightly; can also refer to the pedal in a car that disconnects the engine from the wheels.
From Old English 'clucchen' meaning to clench or grasp. The word evolved through Middle English and took on the mechanical meaning in the automotive industry during the early 1900s when cars became common.
The phrase 'in the clutches of' reveals how this word carries deep fear—it's not just about gripping, but being trapped. Interestingly, 'clutch' also means a group of eggs, showing how language reuses words when things seem to 'hold together' in groups.
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