clutch vs truss

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. 

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 

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

truss

verb
  • To take fast hold of; to seize and hold firmly; to pounce upon. 

  • To secure or bind with ropes. 

  • To strengthen or stiffen, as a beam or girder, by means of a brace or braces. 

  • To tie up a bird before cooking it. 

  • To support. 

noun
  • The rope or iron used to keep the centre of a yard to the mast. 

  • A bandage and belt used to hold a hernia in place. 

  • A tuft of flowers or cluster of fruits formed at the top of the main stem of certain plants. 

  • A padded jacket or dress worn under armour, to protect the body from the effects of friction. 

  • A structure made up of one or more triangular units made from straight beams of wood or metal, which is used to support a structure as in a roof or bridge. 

  • A triangular bracket. 

  • Part of a woman's dress; a stomacher. 

  • An old English farming measurement. One truss of straw equalled 36 pounds, a truss of old hay equalled 56 pounds, a truss of new hay equalled 60 pounds, and 36 trusses equalled one load. 

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