clench

Etymology

From Old English beclenċan, causative of clingan (“cling”). Compare stink and stench.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɛntʃ

Noun

clench (plural clenches)

1. Tight grip.
2. (engineering) A seal that is applied to formed thin-wall bushings.
3. A local chapter of the Church of the SubGenius parody religion.
   • 1989, Ted Schultz, The Fringes of Reason, page 210:

     And perhaps most innovative of all, Drummond and Stang pushed for a policy of clench autonomy […]

   • 2003, Peter Knight, Conspiracy Theories in American History: An Encyclopedia, page 170:

     Every SubGenius clench is required to have a member who does not believe […]

   • 2012, George D. Chryssides, Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements, page 95:

     Originality is encouraged, and some clenches have devised their own distinctive organizational names […]

Verb

clench (third-person singular simple present clenches, present participle clenching, simple past and past participle clenched)

1. To squeeze; to grip or hold tightly.

   He clenched his fist in anger.

2. To move two parts of something against each other

   Bruxism is clenching the jaws.