pinch

PINCH/pɪnt͡ʃ/

Noun pluralpinches

21 meanings of pinch

1
squeeze someone's skinverbtransitive
To squeeze a little bit of someone's skin hard, so that it hurts.
My little sister likes to pinch me when Mom isn't looking.
Stop pinching your brother right now!
Similarnip, squeeze, tweak
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2
small amountnouncountable
A very small amount of something like salt, as much as you can hold between a finger and thumb.
She sprinkled a pinch of sugar on her strawberries.
Add a pinch of salt to the boiling water before the pasta goes in.
Similardash, smidgen, bit, dusting
3
a skin squeezenouncountable
A hard squeeze of someone's skin that hurts.
She gave her brother a pinch on the arm.
I felt a sharp pinch on my leg and turned around.
Similarnip, tweak
4
tight spotnouncountable
A hard or awkward situation, often about money, that is difficult to get out of.
I'm in a bit of a pinch this month because my car needed repairs.
If you're ever in a pinch, you can borrow my tools.
Similarfix, jam, bind, spot, pickle
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5
press with fingersverbtransitive
To press something tightly between your thumb and first finger.
Pinch the end of the balloon so the air doesn't get out.
She pinched the dough together to close the pie.
Similarsqueeze, press
6
stealverbslangtransitive
To steal something, usually something small.
My brother likes to pinch fries off my plate.
Who pinched my pencil?
Similarsteal, filch, crib, bag, boost
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7
trap betweenverbtransitive
To press something tightly between two things.
Be careful not to pinch your fingers in the folding chair.
I pinched my thumb in the car door.
Similartrap, catch, squeeze, crush
8
too tightverbintransitive
Of clothes or shoes, to be too tight in some places, so that they hurt.
These new shoes pinch when I walk.
My jeans are pinching at the waist after that big lunch.
9
a finger pressnouncountable
A quick squeeze of something with your fingers.
Give the peach a gentle pinch to see if it's ripe.
She gave the cloth a pinch to feel how thick it was.
Similarsqueeze
10
cause hardshipverbfigurativelytransitive
To make life hard for people, often by leaving them without enough money, food or space.
High rents pinch young workers in big cities.
Many families feel pinched for money at the end of the month.
Similarsqueeze, hit, hurt, strain
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11
arrest someoneverbslangtransitive
To arrest someone or catch them.
Be careful, or the police will pinch you.
The cops pinched him for driving without a license.
Similarnick, bust, apprehend, capture
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12
an arrestnounslangcountable
An arrest by the police.
The young officer got praise for the pinch.
After his third pinch, the judge sent him to jail.
Similarbust, collar
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13
animal gripverbtransitive
Of an animal, to grab, hold tight, or bite.
The puppy likes to pinch your fingers with its sharp little teeth.
The hound pinched the fox and pulled it down.
Similarnip, grip, seize, bite
14
cut shootsverbtransitive
To cut off new shoots or buds so a plant grows in a better shape or produces more.
Pinch the tops of the basil so it grows bushy.
She pinched the tomato plants every week.
Similarprune, nip, trim
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15
hourglass necknouncountable
The narrow middle of an hourglass, between its two glass parts.
The sand trickled slowly through the pinch.
A grain of sand got stuck in the pinch of the hourglass.
Similarneck, waist
16
metal barnouncountable
A strong metal bar used to lift or move heavy things.
He used a pinch to lift the heavy stone.
Hand me the pinch so I can move this wheel.
Similarcrowbar, jimmy
17
magnetic squeezenouncountable
The squeezing of a thin thread of material that carries electricity, caused by magnetism.
The strong current made a pinch in the glowing gas.
Scientists filmed the pinch with a very fast camera.
Note
18
sailingverbintransitive
To sail a boat so nearly into the wind that the sails start to shake.
If you pinch, the boat will slow down.
We were pinching, so the sails began to flap.
Note
19
move rail carsverbtransitive
To move a railroad car by pushing at its wheels with a metal bar.
The workers pinched the boxcar along the track.
We had to pinch the car a few feet to line it up.
20
be stingyverbobsoleteintransitive
To be greedy and unwilling to spend, or to live on as little as possible.
They had to pinch and save all winter.
There was with him none other fare, But for to pinche and for to spare
c. 1386, John Gower, Confessio Amantis of John Gower: Edited and Collated with the Best ManuscriptsHere, pinche means to be stingy with money and do without.
Similarskimp
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21
complainverbobsolete
To complain or say what is wrong with someone or something.
Therefore who so them accuse Of any double entencion, To speake, rowne, other to muse, To pinch at their condicion, All is but false collusion, I dare rightwell the sothe express, They have no better protection,
1809, Alexander Chalmers ed. The Works of the English Poets, from Cahucer to CowperHere, pinch at means complain about or find fault with.
Similarcomplain, grumble, gripe, grouse, carp
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Practice

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Origin

From the Middle English word pinchen, from an old French word. Its earlier origin is uncertain, possibly a Latin word meaning "to puncture" or "to pinch".