Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a prison cell; thus get the clinch, to be locked up; clinched, imprisoned.

1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1873		Sl. Dict.

2. a sexual embrace.

1901		‘Hugh McHugh’ John Henry 25: Gay as a love clinch from Laura Jean Libbey’s latest.
1908		‘O. Henry’ ‘The Memento’ in Voice of the City (1915) 234: There was a brief clinch, two simultaneous labial dabs.
1920		H.C. Witwer Kid Scanlon 225: He looks over and sees Van Ness in a clinch with Miss Vincent.
1934		G. & S. Lorimer Stag Line 68: It’s only natural for Sam to go into a clinch [...] it is rather thrilling to be enclosed in the embrace of a Greek god.
1944		D. Runyon Runyon à la Carte 144: He figures a fire plug will not be so cold and hard in case of a clinch.
1951		Cusack & James Come in Spinner (1960) 263: It beats me, all this public love-making. Hand in hand, arms glued round each other and hop into the nearest doorway for a clinch.
1960		G. Swarthout Where the Boys Are 33: We went into a clinch so violent that we swayed.
1966		R.H. Rimmer Harrad Experiment 53: I figured the only way to get out of a really serious clinch.
1977		E. Torres Q&A 90: When we left the room, you and Nancy went into a heavy clinch, right?
1991		(con. 1920s) O.D. Brooks Legs 202: She held me in a clinch so long I had to run to catch the bus.
1999		Observer Mag. 11 July 28: Esperanza is plucked on stage for Enrique’s traditional smoochy clinch.
2006		Daily Mail 23 May 🌐 The former Miss Wales shared his bed and they enjoyed a passionate clinch before snuggling up for the night.
2010		Sun. Times 19 Dec. 12/6: [heading] British Museum risks row over nude Jesus in a clinch.