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Clench vs Flinch - What's the difference?

clench | flinch |

As nouns the difference between clench and flinch

is that clench is tight grip while flinch is a reflexive jerking away.

As verbs the difference between clench and flinch

is that clench is to squeeze; to grip or hold tightly while flinch is to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a (usually negative) stimulus.

clench

English

Noun

(es)
  • Tight grip.
  • (engineering) A seal that is applied to formed thin-wall bushings.
  • A local chapter of the (Church of the SubGenius) parody religion.
  • * 1989 , Ted Schultz, The Fringes of Reason (page 210)
  • And perhaps most innovative of all, Drummond and Stang pushed for a policy of clench autonomy
  • * 2003 , Peter Knight, Conspiracy Theories in American History: An Encyclopedia (page 170)
  • Every SubGenius clench is required to have a member who does not believe
  • * 2012 , George D. Chryssides, Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements (page 95)
  • Originality is encouraged, and some clenches have devised their own distinctive organizational names

    Verb

    (es)
  • To squeeze; to grip or hold tightly.
  • He clenched his fist in anger.
  • To move two parts of something against each other
  • Bruxism is clenching the jaws.

    Synonyms

    * clasp * clutch

    Antonyms

    * unclench

    flinch

    English

    Noun

    (es)
  • A reflexive jerking away.
  • My eye doctor hates the flinch I have every time he tries to get near my eyes.

    Verb

  • To make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a (usually negative) stimulus.
  • * John Locke
  • A child, by a constant course of kindness, may be accustomed to bear very rough usage without flinching or complaining.
  • To dodge (a question), to avoid an unpleasant task or duty
  • To let the foot slip from a ball, when attempting to give a tight croquet.
  • References