Clench and Clinch
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The latter is a variant of the former, which is the M.E. clenchen, from A.S. (be~)clencan, to hold fast.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Clench and Clinch” mean?
The latter is a variant of the former, which is the M.E. clenchen, from A.S. (be~)clencan, to hold fast.
Is “Clench and Clinch” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.