clutch vs jam

clutch

noun
  • An important or critical situation. 

  • The claw of a predatory animal or bird. 

  • 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 

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. 

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

jam

noun
  • A difficult situation. 

  • A forceful dunk. 

  • balls, bollocks, courage, machismo 

  • A blockage, congestion, or immobilization. 

  • A song; a track. 

  • The tree Acacia acuminata, with fruity-smelling hard timber. 

  • A play during which points can be scored. 

  • Luck. 

  • A difficult situation for a pitcher or defending team. 

  • An informal event where people brainstorm and collaborate on projects. 

  • A sweet mixture of fruit boiled with sugar and allowed to congeal. Often spread on bread or toast or used in jam tarts. 

  • An informal, impromptu performance or rehearsal. 

  • Any of several maneuvers requiring wedging of an extremity into a tight space. 

  • Sexual relations or the contemplation of them. 

  • That which one particularly prefers, desires, enjoys, or cares about. 

verb
  • To get something stuck, often (though not necessarily) in a confined space. 

  • To block or confuse a radio or radar signal by transmitting a more-powerful signal on the same frequency. 

  • To brusquely force something into a space; to cram, to squeeze. 

  • To injure a finger or toe by sudden compression of the digit's tip. 

  • To give up on a date or some other joint endeavour; to stand up, chicken out, jam out. 

  • To throw a pitch at or near the batter's hands. 

  • To play music (especially improvisation as a group, or an informal unrehearsed session). 

  • To cause congestion or blockage. Often used with "up". 

  • To attempt to score points. 

  • To bring (a vessel) so close to the wind that half her upper sails are laid aback. 

  • To dunk. 

  • To render something unable to move. 

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