close in a terrific clinch with his wiry opponent

[vkhu]

The ape was staggered, and what with the mortal wound in his side had almost collapsed, when, with one mighty effort he rallied for an instant—just long enough to enable him to wrest his arm free from Tarzan's grasp and close in a terrific clinch with his wiry opponent.

I can't really picture what the ape did after he freed his arm. Did he close the distance? Did a counter-grasp on Tarzan?

Source: Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs

 

[bibliolept]

That is what I would imagine: The ape moved forward, grappling or closely grasping Tarzan.

 

[Packard]

I would assume that "close in" means "reduced the distance".

Tarzan of the Apes, by Edgar Rice Burroughs; "King of the Apes" Page 7

Reading the whole passage makes it clear that he is using "close in" (verb) to indicate "reducing the distance" and in this case he is apparently making a bear hug on Tarzan.

 

[Barque]

When two people (or a man and an ape in this case) fighting get into a clinch, it means they're holding each other. To "close" in this context means to come very close and surround.

Here's a photo of wrestlers in a clinch.

clinch (WR dictionary): (of boxers) to hold (another) about the arms or body to hinder the opponent's punches:[~ + object] clinched his opponent. [no object] just trying to clinch and get a breather.

Cross-posted.

 

[RM1(SS)]

I read it as "to wrest his arm free from Tarzan's grasp and [close] [in a terrific clinch] with his wiry opponent" --with close defined as in Barque's post.