Clenching [verb]

Young Dave's face wore a sudden malignant sympathy which made June clench her hands a little more tightly.

It means properly a small sum of money paid to clench a bargain, or to ratify an engagement.

Let this right hand, which I now raise in air, and clench in awful menace, warn you not to repeat the damning accusation.

Take the rifle”—handing it to her—“go a few yards back, and when I clench my open hand behind me, like this, shoot.

Look how some lie still clench'd with savages In all-embracing death, their bloody hands Glued in each other's hair!

Harvey's face would twitch, and his fingers clench of themselves as he touched his cap.

Mrs. Home already could not speak, she had to clench her teeth to prevent the sobs coming.

He came out of a dream and stared at her foggily, then answered the warm clench of her little fingers.

He regarded me doubtfully for a time, and at last decided for the sake of lucidity to clench the matter.

And when she heard his pony come to a halt near her she had to clench her hands to keep from turning to face him.