pinch

verb
\ ˈpinch How to pronounce pinch (audio) \
pinched; pinching; pinches

Definition of pinch

 (Entry 1 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : to squeeze between the finger and thumb or between the jaws of an instrument
b : to prune the tip of (a plant or shoot) usually to induce branching
c : to squeeze or compress painfully
d : to cause physical or mental pain to
e(1) : to cause to appear thin, haggard, or shrunken
(2) : to cause to shrivel or wither
2a : to subject to strict economy or want : straiten
b : to restrain or limit narrowly : constrict
3a : steal
b : arrest
4 : to sail too close to the wind

intransitive verb

2 : to be miserly or closefisted
3 : to press painfully
4 : narrow, taper the road pinched down to a trail— Cecelia Holland
pinch pennies
: to practice strict economy

pinch

noun

Definition of pinch (Entry 2 of 3)

1a : a critical juncture : emergency
c : deficit
2a : an act of pinching : squeeze
b : as much as may be taken between the finger and thumb a pinch of snuff
c : a very small amount
3 : a marked thinning of a vein or bed
4a : theft
b : a police raid also : arrest

pinch

adjective

Definition of pinch (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : substitute pinch runner
2 : hit by a pinch hitter a pinch homer

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Synonyms for pinch

Synonyms: Verb

nip

Synonyms: Noun

grab, heist, rip-off, snatching, swiping, theft

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Choose the Right Synonym for pinch

Noun

juncture, exigency, emergency, contingency, pinch, strait (or straits) crisis mean a critical or crucial time or state of affairs. juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events. an important juncture in our country's history exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation. provide for exigencies emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster. the presence of mind needed to deal with emergencies contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence. contingency plans pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency. come through in a pinch strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult. in dire straits crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference. a crisis of confidence

Examples of pinch in a Sentence

Verb

My little brother is always trying to pinch me. He pinched her cheeks and told her how cute she was. Pinch together the edges of the dough. He pinched the top of his nose to stop the bleeding and leaned forward. He pinched off the top of the shoots. She pinched back the new growth. These new shoes are pinching my toes. I pinched my fingers in the door. By pinching and scraping, she managed to save enough money to buy a new car.

Noun

the pinch of my favorite sweater really bugged me! an innocent person caught up in a city-wide pinch of drug dealers

Adjective

A pinch homer won the game.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

But by the time Pixel owners get used to pinching their fingers together and rotating their thumb on invisible dials, a seismic shift will already be underway. Wired, "Google's New Gesture Controls Aren't Just for the Pixel," 30 July 2019 He was expected to be available to pinch-hit and potentially enter in late-inning double-switch situations this weekend. Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Reds' Scooter Gennett healthier after off day, likely available to pinch-hit," 6 July 2019 The patients underwent single or multiple nerve transfers in one or both upper limbs, to allow the elbow to extend and the hand to grasp, pinch and open. Katie Hunt, CNN, "Paralyzed man regains use of hands thanks to innovative nerve surgery," 4 July 2019 The deal is short enough that San Antonio’s future flexibility won’t get pinched, and for his efforts, Gay receives a solid raise to help keep the Spurs competitive moving forward. Rohan Nadkarni, SI.com, "Grading Some of the Free Agent Deals You May Have Missed From Day One," 1 July 2019 Mums and asters will bloom in summer unless the flower buds are pinched or cut. Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, "Ten tips to ensure a healthy lawn during a Colorado summer," 27 June 2019 Another favorite among our testers, the Deluxe has a wide and broad sitting area that doesn't pinch or press into your hammies, shoulders, or hips. James Lynch, Popular Mechanics, "The 10 Best Super-Portable Camp Chairs," 11 June 2019 On a recent Tuesday morning, some 20 Congolese villagers sat bent over mounds of river clay, determinedly pinching and massaging the orange-brown masses into expressive lips, eyes, and fingers. Eléonore Hellio, National Geographic, "See the Congolese artists igniting a modern arts movement," 8 Apr. 2019 Unc finished and pinched his payment and set us to the task of cutting and packaging our product. Mitchell S. Jackson, Harper's magazine, "Opportunity Cost," 10 Feb. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The inning started with a walk to Andrew Daschbach, who was pinch run for by Mason Janvrin. Randy Mcroberts, baltimoresun.com, "Rutschman goes 5-5, leads IronBirds to big win over Vermont," 20 Aug. 2019 Instructions Fill a large bowl with water and a pinch of salt.