1
- (with reference to the fingers or hand) close into a tight ball, especially when feeling extreme anger（手, 手指）紧握成拳（尤以表示愤怒）：
with obj. she clenched her fists, struggling for control她紧握双拳, 努力控制情绪
no obj. Ian's right hand clenched into a fist伊恩右手紧握成拳
as adj. clenched he struck the wall with his clenched fist.他用握紧的拳头击打墙壁。
1.1
- (with reference to the teeth) press or be pressed tightly together, especially with anger or determination or so as to suppress a strong emotion（牙）（尤指愤怒, 下定决心、压抑感情时）紧咬：
no obj. her teeth clenched in anger.她气得紧咬牙关。
1.2
- with obj. grasp (something) tightly and firmly, especially with the hands or between the teeth握紧; 咬紧：
he clenched the steering wheel so hard that the car wobbled.
他把方向盘握得太紧, 车子都摇摇晃晃的了。
1.3
- no obj.(of a muscular part of the body) tighten or contract sharply, especially with strong emotion（肌肉）（尤指因强烈感情）绷紧; 缩紧：
Mark felt his stomach clench in alarm.
马克感到他的胃部因恐慌而缩成一团。
in sing.
1- a contraction or tightening of part of the body（身体部位的）紧缩; 紧绷：
she saw the anger rise, saw the clench of his fists.
她看到他怒气升腾, 双拳紧握。
1.1
- the state of being tightly closed or contracted抓牢, 握牢, 包牢; 缩紧。
词源
Old English （in the sense of clinch 'fix securely'）： of Germanic origin; related to CLING.