clinch vs clutch

clinch

verb
  • To hold firmly; to clench. 

  • To clasp; to interlock. 

  • To embrace passionately. 

  • To make certain; to finalize. 

  • To bend and hammer the point of (a nail) so it cannot be removed. 

  • To set closely together; to close tightly. 

  • To fasten securely or permanently. 

noun
  • Any of several fastenings. 

  • A passionate embrace. 

  • The act or process of holding fast; that which serves to hold fast. 

  • The act of one or both fighters holding onto the other to prevent being hit or engage in standup grappling. 

  • A hitch or bend by which a rope is made fast to the ring of an anchor, or the breeching of a ship's gun to the ringbolts. 

clutch

verb
  • To grip or grasp tightly. 

  • To unexpectedly or luckily succeed in a difficult activity. 

  • To hatch. 

  • To seize, as though with claws. 

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

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

noun
  • The claw of a predatory animal or bird. 

  • An important or critical situation. 

  • A brood of chickens or a sitting of eggs. 

  • 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 

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