clinch vs squeeze

clinch

noun
  • A passionate embrace. 

  • Any of several fastenings. 

  • 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. 

verb
  • To clasp; to interlock. 

  • To embrace passionately. 

  • To make certain; to finalize. 

  • To hold firmly; to clench. 

  • 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. 

squeeze

noun
  • A hug or other affectionate grasp. 

  • The act of bunting in an attempt to score a runner from third. 

  • An instance of squeezing. 

  • A close or tight fit. 

  • The gradual closing of workings by the weight of the overlying strata. 

  • An illicit alcoholic drink made by squeezing Sterno through cheesecloth, etc., and mixing the result with fruit juice. 

  • A difficult position. 

  • A moulding, cast or other impression of an object, chiefly a design, inscription etc., especially by pressing wet paper onto the surface and peeling off when dry. 

  • A traversal of a narrow passage. 

  • A romantic partner. 

  • A play that forces an opponent to discard a card that gives up one or more tricks. 

verb
  • To put in a difficult position by presenting two or more choices. 

  • To attempt to score a runner from third by bunting. 

  • To remove something with difficulty, or apparent difficulty. 

  • To embrace closely; to give a tight hug to. 

  • To oppress with hardships, burdens, or taxes; to harass. 

  • To apply pressure to from two or more sides at once. 

  • To fit into a tight place. 

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