pinch

¹pinch

verb \ˈpinch\

Definition of PINCH

transitive verb

1

a : 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

2

a : to subject to strict economy or want : straiten b : to restrain or limit narrowly : constrict

3

a : steal b : arrest

4

: to sail too close to the wind

intransitive verb

1

: compress, squeeze

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

Examples of PINCH

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

Origin of PINCH

Middle English, from Anglo-French *pincher, pincer

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to PINCH

Synonyms: nip

Antonyms: discharge

Related Words: crimp, tweak; clasp, clutch, grasp, grip, hold, take

Near Antonyms: drop, free, loose, loosen, release, spring

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with PINCH

chinch, cinch, clinch, finch, flinch, grinch, inch, lynch, Minch, squinch, winch