clutch vs ruck

clutch

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

  • 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. 

  • 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. 

ruck

noun
  • A throng or crowd of people or things; a mass, a pack. 

  • A contest in games in which the ball is thrown or bounced in the air and two players from opposing teams attempt to give their team an advantage, typically by tapping the ball to a teammate. 

  • Any one of a ruckman, a ruck rover or a rover; a follower. 

  • The common mass of people or things; the ordinary ranks. 

  • A small heifer. 

  • An argument or fight. 

  • The situation formed when a player carrying the ball is brought to the ground and one or more members of each side are engaged above the ball, trying to win possession of it; a loose scrum. 

  • A player who competes in said contests; a ruckman or ruckwoman. 

  • A rucksack; a large backpack. 

  • A crease, a wrinkle, a pucker, as on fabric. 

verb
  • To become folded. 

  • To contest the possession of the ball in a ruck. 

  • To carry a backpack while hiking or marching. 

  • To crease or fold. 

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