vt.　抓住；紧紧抓住；抱住seize; take hold of tightly with the hands

　～ a baby　抱住孩子
　～ the rope　抓住绳子

　I clutched the rope they threw to me.　我急忙抓住他们扔给我的绳子。
　The mother clutched her baby in her arms.　母亲紧紧地把婴儿抱在怀里。

 ♣ clutch at　(v.+prep.)
1. 试图突然抓住，抓向 try to seize sth/sb suddenly
　The child clutched at his mother in fear.　那孩子惊恐地抓住他的母亲。
　She clutched at my arm as she fell.　她跌倒时想要抓住我的膀臂。
2. 试图抓住任何机会 try to seize any chance
　A drowning man will clutch at a straw.　即将溺死的人连一根草也要去抓。
 ♣ clutch to　(v.+prep.)
　紧紧抓住　hold sth/sb tightly to oneself
　The child clutched the doll to her arms and would not show it to anyone.　那孩子将她的洋娃娃紧紧搂在怀里，不让任何人看。
　She clutched her child to her breast.　她紧紧地把她的孩子抱在怀里。

 ♣ clutch, clutch at
　这两个词（组）的共同意思是“抓”。前者指已经在手的东西；后者指尚未到手的东西。
 ♣ clutch, grab, grasp, seize, snatch, take
　参见take条。

1. S 把握，抓紧　an act of clutching or the fingers and hands in the act of clutching
2. P 掌握，控制　control or power
3. C 离合器　in a car, which allows working parts of machinery to be connected or disconnected smoothly

　He lost his clutch on the rope and fell.　他抓不住绳子，松手摔了下来。
　Those people feared to live in the clutches of foreign secret police.　那些人害怕在外国秘密警察控制下生活。
　He released the clutch and the car began to move.　他放开离合器，汽车就动了。
　Take your foot off the clutch after changing gear.　换挡之后，把脚从离合器踏板上挪开。

　［同义词］ v. catch, grab, grasp n. grasp, snatch
　［反义词］ v. free, loosen
　［词源］古英语clyccan（抓紧）