- pinch´er
- pinch «pihnch», verb, noun.–v.t.1. to squeeze between the thumb and forefinger, with the teeth or claws, or with any instrument having two jaws or parts between which something may be grasped: »
Father pinched the baby's cheek playfully.
SYNONYM(S): nip, tweak.3. Figurative. to cause sharp discomfort or distress to, as cold, hunger, or want does.4. Figurative. to cause to shrink or become thin: »a face pinched by hunger.
5. to cause (a plant) to shrivel or wither up, as by frost.6. Figurative. to bring into difficulty or trouble; afflict: »The king finding his affairs pinch him at home (Daniel Defoe).
7. Figurative. a) to limit closely; stint: »to be pinched for space or time. With earnings pinched by disappointing demand, the oil companies would like to cut their reliance on domestic oil (Wall Street Journal).
b) to limit or restrict closely the supply of (anything); be stingy with: »The miser pinched pennies on food to the point of near starvation.
8. to put in or add by pinches or small quantities: »The cook pinched more salt into the soup each time she sampled it.
9. Slang. to arrest.11. to sail (a vessel) close to the wind to such a degree that the sails shake.12. to move (something heavy) by a succession of small heaves with a pinch bar.–v.i.2. Figurative. to cause discomfort or distress: »Here's the pang that pinches (Shakespeare).
3. to be stingy; stint oneself: »Her father and sister were obliged to pinch, in order to allow her the small luxuries (Elizabeth Gaskell).
4. (of a vein or deposit of ore) to become narrower or smaller; give out altogether.–n.1. the act of pinching; a squeeze between two hard edges; nip.3. a) as much as can be taken up with the tip of the finger and thumb: »a pinch of salt or snuff.
b) Figurative. a very small quantity. SYNONYM(S): bit.4. Figurative. sharp discomfort or distress: »the pinch of poverty, the pinch hunger.
6. Slang. an arrest.7. Slang. a stealing.8. = pinch bar. (Cf. ↑pinch bar)╂[perhaps < Old North French pinchier, variant of Old French pincier; origin uncertain. Compare Vulgar Latin pīccāre to pierce, Flemish pinssen.]–pinch´er, noun.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.
