Nominal Forms
Infinitive: to clench
Participle: clenched
Gerund: clenching
Cognates
-
Indicative
Present
| I | clench |
| you | clench |
| he;she;it | clenches |
| we | clench |
| you | clench |
| they | clench |
Perfect
| I | have clenched |
| you | have clenched |
| he;she;it | has clenched |
| we | have clenched |
| you | have clenched |
| they | have clenched |
Past
| I | clenched |
| you | clenched |
| he;she;it | clenched |
| we | clenched |
| you | clenched |
| they | clenched |
Pluperfect
| I | had clenched |
| you | had clenched |
| he;she;it | had clenched |
| we | had clenched |
| you | had clenched |
| they | had clenched |
Future
| I | will clench |
| you | will clench |
| he;she;it | will clench |
| we | will clench |
| you | will clench |
| they | will clench |
Future Perfect
| I | will have clenched |
| you | will have clenched |
| he;she;it | will have clenched |
| we | will have clenched |
| you | will have clenched |
| they | will have clenched |
Subjunctive
Present
| I | clench |
| you | clench |
| he;she;it | clench |
| we | clench |
| you | clench |
| they | clench |
Perfect
| I | have clenched |
| you | have clenched |
| he;she;it | have clenched |
| we | have clenched |
| you | have clenched |
| they | have clenched |
Imperfect
| I | clenched |
| you | clenched |
| he;she;it | clenched |
| we | clenched |
| you | clenched |
| they | clenched |
Pluperfect
| I | had clenched |
| you | had clenched |
| he;she;it | had clenched |
| we | had clenched |
| you | had clenched |
| they | had clenched |
Conditional
Present
| I | would clench |
| you | would clench |
| he;she;it | would clench |
| we | would clench |
| you | would clench |
| they | would clench |
Perfect
| I | would have clenched |
| you | would have clenched |
| he;she;it | would have clenched |
| we | would have clenched |
| you | would have clenched |
| they | would have clenched |
Imperative
| you | clench |
| we | Let's clench |
| you | clench |
Verbs conjugated like 'clench'
abash,
abolish,
abroach,
accomplish,
accroach,
address,
admix,
admonish,
ado,
adpress,
affamish,
affix,
alloo,
amass,
ambush,
anguish,
annex,
appeach,
appears,
approach, etc. (List truncated at 20 verbs)
Verbs similar to 'clench'
blench,
clinch,
flench,
bench,
blanch,
bleach,
blech,
cinch,
clatch,
cleck,
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
- grip or hold tightly
- grasp
- to make tighter
- bind, brace, cinch, constrict, squeeze, taughten, tauten, tense, tighten
- to hold firmly, particularly with the hand
- begrasp, begrip, belock, clasp, clinch, cling, clutch, enclasp, fang, fondle, glaum, grab, grabble, grasp, grip, hang on, hold, hold on, hold tight, nim, seize, stranglehold, take
Additional Information
Phrasal Verbs
Etymology
From Middle English clenchen, from Old English clenċan (“to clinch; hold fast”), a variant of Old English clenġan (“to adhere; remain”), from Proto-Germanic *klangijaną, causative of *klinganą (“to stick; adhere”). Related to cling. See: Proto-Germanic '
*klangijaną'.
Sample Sentences
-
[...] religious; I used to love God and prayer. Now, I 'm a lost soul, pursued by devils that torment me day and night; they keep pushing me on and on—and I'll do it, too, some of these days ! ” she said, clenching her hand, while an insane light glanced in her heavy black eyes. “ I'll send him where he belongs,—a short way, too,—one of these nights, if they burn me alive for it ! ” A wild, long laugh rang [...]
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
-
“ No, no, no ! ” said Tom, holding her small hands, which were clenched with spasmodic violence. “ No, ye poor, lost soul, that ye mustn't do. The dear, blessed Lord never shed no blood but his own, and that he poured out for us when we was enemies. Lord, help us to [...]
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
-
“ I _hate_ him ! ” said Legree, that night, as he sat up in his bed; “ I _hate_ him ! And isn't he MINE ? Can't I do what I like with him ? Who's to hinder, I wonder ? ” And Legree clenched his fist, and shook it, as if he had something in his hands that he could rend in pieces.
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
-
[...] some neighboring plantations, with dogs and guns; to surround the swamp, and go about the hunt systematically. If it succeeded, well and good; if not, he would summon Tom before him, and—his teeth clenched and his blood boiled—_then_ he would break the fellow down, or—there was a dire inward whisper, to which his soul assented.
(Uncle Tom’s Cabin)