clinch
verb /klɪntʃ/
/klɪntʃ/
(informal)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they clinch | /klɪntʃ/ /klɪntʃ/ |
| he / she / it clinches | /ˈklɪntʃɪz/ /ˈklɪntʃɪz/ |
| past simple clinched | /klɪntʃt/ /klɪntʃt/ |
| past participle clinched | /klɪntʃt/ /klɪntʃt/ |
| -ing form clinching | /ˈklɪntʃɪŋ/ /ˈklɪntʃɪŋ/ |
- clinch something to succeed in achieving or winning something
- to clinch an argument/a deal/a victory
- They clinched a place in the semi-finals.
- to provide the answer to something; to settle something that was not certain
- clinch something These findings clinched the matter.
- clinch it ‘I'll pay your airfare.’ ‘OK, that clinches it—I'll come with you.’
- a clinching argument
Word Originlate 16th cent. (in the senses ‘something that grips’ and ‘fix securely’): variant of clench.