This one requires the full dictionary definition again. It's another lovely phrase. I haven't heard this one before, even in old movies, though it has the ring of 1930s gangster movie lingo. The old dictionary I found this in didn't list dates for the period in which this word was in use, so maybe it predates the age of Edward G. Robinson and Jimmy Cagney.
clutch the gummy: "To fail; to be left to take the blame; to be cheated. Orig. on model of 'hold the bag' = to clutch the gunny bag or sack; reinforced by 'gummy' = sticky."
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