double-clutched; double-clutching; double-clutches

intransitive verb

: to shift gears in an automotive vehicle by shifting into neutral and pumping the clutch before shifting to another gear

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of double-clutch was in 1928

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Cite this Entry

“Double-clutch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double-clutch. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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