[f. CLINCH v. + -ER. Cf. CLENCHER.] One who or that which clinches.
† 1. Formerly, A workman who clinched the bolts in ship-building. Obs.
1495. Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 22. The wages of a Maister Shipwright by the day iiijd … An able clyncher by the day iid.
1514. Fitzherb., Just. Peas (1538), 93. An able clincher [shal take] by the day 2d and without meat and drinke 4d.
1651. Assessment, in Rogers, Agric. & Prices, VI. 695. [Master shipwright, 4 under him; Hewers or common shipwrights; Able clincher; Able holder; Master calker; Calkers labouring by tide; Mean calker.]
1764. Burn, Poor Laws, 15.
2. A nail, etc., used for clinching.
1725. Pope, Odyss., V. 318. With [wimbles] he pierc’d ’em, and with clinchers bound.
3. A tool for clinching nails.
1874. in Knight, Dict. Mech., I. 566.
4. A conclusive statement, argument, etc.; a ‘finisher,’ ‘settler.’ colloq.
1804. Anecd. Bp. Watson, Let. Oct. (1817), 410 (R.). If he is obliged to strike a last blow, it will be a clincher.
1806–7. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life (1826), Post. Groans No. 34. In a conversational sparring-match … as you triumphantly prepare for a pinch of snuff, by way of clincher to a caustic hit.
† 5. A punster. Obs.
1693. W. Robertson, Phraseol. Gen., 340. A clincher Homo festivus, urbanus.
1708–15. Kersey, Clincher, a witty or ingenious Person, that makes smart Repartees.
1721–1800. in Bailey.
† 6. A clinker-built vessel. Obs.
1678. Phillips, Clincher, a Bark, Boat, or small Ship, whose Planks are Larded over one an other. (Hence in Kersey and Bailey.)
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), Clincar, a sort of flat-bottomed clinker-built pram.
7. Comb. Clincher-built = CLINKER-BUILT; clincher-work, (a.) lap-jointed work, as in boats of a lighter construction, weather boarding, shingling; (b.) a similar work in which iron plates are lapped and riveted. So clincher-build, -plating.
1769. St. James’ Chron., 10–11 Aug., 2/2. Pleasure Yacht, *clincher-built … 26 Tons.
1820. Scoresby, Acc. Arctic Reg., II. 223. The principle has long been acted upon in clincher-built boats.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Clincher or Clinker Built, made of clincher-work, by the planks lapping one over the other. The contrary of carvel-work.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1784), *Clincher-work.
1805. Mariner’s Dict., Carvel Work, in contradistinction to clincher work.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Clincher-work, the disposition of the planks in the side of any boat or vessel, when the lower edge of every plank overlaps that next below it. This is sometimes written as pronounced, clinker-work.
1874. Knight, Dict. Mech., s.v. Clincher-work, Clincher-build, *clincher-plating, clincher-work, and, erroneously, clinker-work.
