callus vs clutch

callus

noun
  • A shining area on the frons of many species of Tabanomorpha (horse flies and relatives). 

  • The material of repair in fractures of bone; a substance exuded at the site of fracture, which is at first soft or cartilaginous in consistency, but is ultimately converted into true bone and unites the fragments into a single piece. 

  • The new formation over the end of a cutting, before it puts out rootlets. 

  • A hardened area of the skin (especially on the foot or hand) caused by repeated friction, wear or use. 

verb
  • To form such hardened tissue. 

clutch

noun
  • A brood of chickens or a sitting of eggs. 

  • The claw of a predatory animal or bird. 

  • An important or critical situation. 

  • A device to interrupt power transmission, commonly used to separate the engine and gearbox in a car. 

  • A fastener that attaches to the back of a tack pin to secure an accessory to clothing. (See Clutch (pin fastener).) 

  • A small handbag or purse with no straps or handle. 

  • A group or bunch (of people or things). 

  • Any device for gripping an object, as at the end of a chain or tackle. 

  • A grip, especially one seen as rapacious or evil. 

  • The pedal in a car that disengages power and torque transmission from the engine (through the drivetrain) to the drive wheels. 

  • A difficult maneuver 

adj
  • Performing or tending to perform well in difficult, high-pressure situations. 

verb
  • To unexpectedly or luckily succeed in a difficult activity. 

  • To hatch. 

  • To seize, as though with claws. 

  • To grip or grasp tightly. 

  • To win in a 1vX (one versus X) situation. 

How often have the words callus and clutch occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )