ALL meanings of pinch
pinch
P p - verb with object pinch to squeeze or compress between the finger and thumb, the teeth, the jaws of an instrument, or the like. 1
- verb with object pinch to constrict or squeeze painfully, as a tight shoe does. 1
- verb with object pinch to cramp within narrow bounds or quarters: The crowd pinched him into a corner. 1
- verb with object pinch to render (the face, body, etc.) unnaturally constricted or drawn, as pain or distress does: Years of hardship had pinched her countenance beyond recognition. 1
- verb with object pinch to affect with sharp discomfort or distress, as cold, hunger, or need does. 1
- verb with object pinch to straiten in means or circumstances: The depression pinched them. 1
- verb with object pinch to stint (a person, family, etc.) in allowance of money, food, or the like: They were severely pinched by the drought. 1
- verb with object pinch to hamper or inconvenience by the lack of something specified: The builders were pinched by the shortage of good lumber. 1
- verb with object pinch to stint the supply or amount of (a thing). 1
- verb with object pinch to put a pinch or small quantity of (a powder, spice, etc.) into something. 1
- verb with object pinch to roll or slide (a heavy object) with leverage from a pinch bar. 1
- verb with object pinch Slang. to steal. to arrest. 1
- verb with object pinch Digital Technology. to move two or more fingers toward or away from each other on (a touchscreen) in order to execute a command (often followed by in or out): Zoom in by pinching the screen. 1
- verb with object pinch Horticulture. to remove or shorten (buds or shoots) in order to produce a certain shape of the plant, improve the quality of the bloom or fruit, or increase the development of buds (often followed by out, off, or back). 1
- verb with object pinch Nautical. to sail (a ship) so close to the wind that the sails shake slightly and the speed is reduced. 1
- verb with object pinch Horse Racing, British. to press (a horse) to the point of exhaustion. 1
- verb without object pinch to exert a sharp or painful constricting force: This shoe pinches. 1
- verb without object pinch to cause sharp discomfort or distress: Their stomachs were pinched with hunger. 1
- verb without object pinch to economize unduly; stint oneself: They pinched and scraped for years to save money for a car. 1
- verb without object pinch Digital Technology. to move the fingers toward or away from each other on a touchscreen (often followed by in or out): Pinching in will zoom in, and pinching out will zoom out. 1
- verb without object pinch Mining. to diminish. to diminish to nothing (sometimes followed by out). 1
- verb without object pinch Nautical. to trim a sail too flat when sailing to windward. 1
- noun pinch the act of pinching; nip; squeeze. 1
- noun pinch squeeze with fingers 1
- noun pinch as much of anything as can be taken up between the finger and thumb: a pinch of salt. 1
- noun pinch cooking: small amount 1
- noun pinch a very small quantity of anything: a pinch of pungent wit. 1
- transitive verb pinch break off by squeezing with fingers 1
- noun pinch sharp or painful stress, as of hunger, need, or any trying circumstances: the pinch of conscience; to feel the pinch of poverty. 1
- intransitive verb pinch trap sharply 1
- noun pinch a situation or time of special stress, especially an emergency: A friend is someone who will stand by you in a pinch. 1
- intransitive verb pinch shoes: be tight 1
- noun pinch pinch bar. 1
- transitive verb pinch steal 1
- noun pinch Slang. a raid or an arrest. 1
- transitive verb pinch affect with discomfort 1
- noun pinch Slang. a theft. 1
- transitive verb pinch squeeze painfully between the fingers 1
- noun pinch Digital Technology. an act or instance of pinching a touchscreen. 1
- idioms pinch pinch pennies, to stint on or be frugal or economical with expenditures; economize: I'll have to pinch pennies if I'm going to get through school. 1
- idioms pinch with a pinch of salt. salt1 (def 24). Also, with a grain of salt. 1
- verb 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. 0
- verb pinch Pinch is also a noun. 0
- countable noun pinch A pinch of an ingredient such as salt is the amount of it that you can hold between your thumb and your first finger. 0
- verb pinch To pinch something, especially something of little value, means to steal it. 0
- verb pinch to press (something, esp flesh) tightly between two surfaces, esp between a finger and the thumb 0
- verb pinch to confine, squeeze, or painfully press (toes, fingers, etc) because of lack of space 0
- verb pinch to cause stinging pain to 0
- verb pinch to make thin or drawn-looking, as from grief, lack of food, etc 0
- verb pinch to provide (oneself or another person) with meagre allowances, amounts, etc 0