clench
verb/klentʃ/
/klentʃ/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they clench | /klentʃ/ /klentʃ/ |
| he / she / it clenches | /ˈklentʃɪz/ /ˈklentʃɪz/ |
| past simple clenched | /klentʃt/ /klentʃt/ |
| past participle clenched | /klentʃt/ /klentʃt/ |
| -ing form clenching | /ˈklentʃɪŋ/ /ˈklentʃɪŋ/ |
- [transitive, intransitive] when you clench your hands, teeth, etc., or when they clench, you press them together tightly, usually showing that you are angry, determined or upset
（通常表示愤怒、决心或不安时）捏紧，攥紧（拳头等），咬紧（牙齿等） - clench (something) He clenched his fists in anger.
他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。 - Through clenched teeth she told him to leave.
她咬牙切齿地叫他离开。 - His fists clenched slowly until his knuckles were white.
他的拳头慢慢地捏紧，直捏得指关节都发白了。 - Her hands clenched involuntarily.
她不由自主地攥紧了拳头。 - clench (something) + adv./prep. She sat with hands clenched together in her lap.
她双手紧握放在大腿上坐着。 - His jaw was clenched tight.
他紧咬牙关。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- firmly
- tight
- tightly
- …
- clenched between somebody’s teeth
- clench (something) He clenched his fists in anger.
- [transitive, often passive] to hold something tightly
抓紧某物 - be clenched between/in something Her pen was clenched between her teeth.
她咬着笔。 - She had a gun clenched tightly in her hand.
她手里紧紧地握着一把枪。 - clench something He clenched the steering wheel tightly.
他紧紧抓住方向盘。
Extra Examples- She sat at her desk, her pen clenched between her teeth.
她坐在办公桌前，牙齿咬紧了笔。 - He had a wine glass clenched firmly in his hand.
他手里紧紧地握着一个酒杯。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- firmly
- tight
- tightly
- …
- clenched between somebody’s teeth
- be clenched between/in something Her pen was clenched between her teeth.
Word OriginOld English (in the sense of clinch ‘fix securely’): of Germanic origin; related to cling.