Scottish past tense of clauch; to grasp, clutch, or seize, particularly in a grasping or clawing manner.
From Scots clauch (to grasp/clutch), of unclear origin but possibly related to Old English clawu (claw) or Dutch klawen, following Scots past tense formation.
Scottish past tenses are wonderfully different from English—'claucht' instead of 'clutched'—showing how languages evolve separately even within the same island, creating a rich texture of speech patterns across Britain.
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