Word Frequency
pinch (pɪntʃ
)
Definitions
verb
- to press (something, esp flesh) tightly between two surfaces, esp between a finger and the thumb See nip1
- to confine, squeeze, or painfully press (toes, fingers, etc) because of lack of space ⇒
these shoes pinch
- tr to cause stinging pain to ⇒
the cold pinched his face
- tr to make thin or drawn-looking, as from grief, lack of food, etc
- usually foll by on to provide (oneself or another person) with meagre allowances, amounts, etc
-
See pinch pennies
- tr (nautical) to sail (a sailing vessel) so close to the wind that her sails begin to luff and she loses way
- intr sometimes foll by out (of a vein of ore) to narrow or peter out
- usually foll by off, out, or back to remove the tips of (buds, shoots, etc) to correct or encourage growth
- tr (informal) to steal or take without asking
- tr (informal) to arrest
noun
- a squeeze or sustained nip
- the quantity of a substance, such as salt, that can be taken between a thumb and finger
- a very small quantity
- a critical situation; predicament; emergency ⇒
if it comes to the pinch we'll have to manage
-
See the pinch
- See pinch bar
- (slang) a robbery
- (slang) a police raid or arrest
-
See at a pinch
Word Origin
C16: probably from Old Norman French pinchier (unattested); related to Old French pincier to pinch; compare Late Latin punctiāre to prickSynonyms
View thesaurus entry = steal, rob, snatch, lift, nick, trouser, cabbage, swipe, knock off, blag, pilfer, snitch, purloin, filch, snaffle
= arrest, do, lift, pick up, nick, run in, nail, bust, collar, pull in, nab, apprehend, take into custody, feel your collar,
= scrimp, press, spare, distress, stint, afflict, oppress, skimp, economize, be stingy, pinch pennies, tighten your belt,
= emergency, crisis, difficulty, plight, scrape, strait, uphill, predicament, extremity, necessity, hardship, oppression, exigency
Translations for 'pinch'
- British English: pinch If you pinch a part of someone's body, you take a piece of their skin between your thumb and first finger and give it a short squeeze.She pinched his arm as hard as she could.pɪntʃ VERB
- Arabic: يَقْرِصّ
- Brazilian Portuguese: beliscar
- Chinese: 掐
- Croatian: uštipnuti
- Czech: štípnout štípatdo kůže
- Danish: klemme
- Dutch: knijpen
- European Spanish: pellizcar
- Finnish: nipistää
- French: pincer
- German: kneifen
- Greek: τσιμπώ
- Italian: pizzicare
- Japanese: つねる
- Korean: ...을 꼬집다
- Norwegian: klype
- Polish: uszczypnąć szczypać
- Portuguese: beliscar
- Romanian: a ciupi
- Russian: зажимать
- Spanish: pellizcar
- Swedish: nypa
- Thai: หยิก
- Turkish: çimdiklemek
- Ukrainian: щипати вщипнути
- Vietnamese: cấu
Example Sentences Including 'pinch'
Below his chin, his fingers pry open the tin, select a cigarette paper and a pinch of tobacco.Looking For the Spark
Copycat Schemes Chennai: Sometimes even political mentors feel the need to pinch a lesson or two from their proteges.India Today (1997)
He singled, but manager Joe Torre came out of the dugout to him and Alfonso Soriano came in to pinch run.Globe and Mail (2003)
In the final stages they even threw their centre-half Matt Elliott into attack to try and pinch a winner.Sun, News of the World (2000)
In the meantime, take all Government advice about food only with a large pinch of salt.Bedside Guardian 38
There's a hefty number, however, who exist on fixed incomes and have been feeling the pinch for years.canada.com (2004)
To score two in real life is beyond belief, I still feel the need to pinch myself.Sun, News of the World (2000)
We shall have to share pipes, as good friends must at a pinch.THE LORD OF THE RINGS (2004)
You can't pinch my school work, you have to do it by yourself.The Golden Lion
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