serrer

to tighten (a screw, a knot); to shake (hands); to squeeze; to hug, to stay close to; to seduce; to flirt with

“Doucement ! Ça ne sert à rien de trop serrer cette vis.” — Gently! It's no use to tighten this screw too much.

Inherited from Old French serrer, from Vulgar Latin *serrāre (“close, shut”), from Late Latin serāre (“fasten, bolt”), from Latin sera (“bolt, crossbar”).