cinch

[ sinch ]

/ sɪntʃ /

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See synonyms for: cinch / cinched / cinching on Thesaurus.com

noun

a strong girth used on stock saddles, having a ring at each end to which a strap running from the saddle is secured.

a firm hold or tight grip.

Informal.

something sure or easy: This problem is a cinch.
a person or thing certain to fulfill an expectation, especially a team or contestant certain to win a sporting event: The Giants are a cinch to win Sunday's game.

verb (used with object)

to gird with a cinch; gird or bind firmly.

Informal. to seize on or make sure of; guarantee: Ability and hard work cinched her success.

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of cinch

1855–60, Americanism;<Spanish cincha<Latin cingula girth, equivalent to cing(ere) to gird + -ula-ule

Other definitions for cinch (2 of 2)

cinch²

[ sinch ]

/ sɪntʃ /

noun Cards.

a variety of the game all fours.

Origin of cinch

1885–90; perhaps <Spanish cinco five, a card game

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cinch in a sentence

The gauntlet style cuff with elasticized wrist and cinch will help keep water, snow, and cold air from entering the glove.
Best winter gloves: Our picks for touch screen gloves, ski gloves, and more|PopSci Commerce Team|February 2, 2021|Popular-Science
That said, their low profile heads make it easier to clean under furniture, and some come with the option to convert them into a handheld, making cleaning car interiors and stairs a cinch.
Best vacuum cleaner: How to tidy up fast|Charlotte Marcus|January 14, 2021|Popular-Science
No matter how much riding experience you have, it’s a cinch to handle.
Five Off-Road Vehicles to Look Forward to in 2021|Wes Siler|January 1, 2021|Outside Online
If they do not arrive too early, highs in the mid-60s should be a cinch.
D.C.-area forecast: Cool sunshine today, but it turns milder Friday and Saturday|David Streit|November 19, 2020|Washington Post

Any restaurant with a sustained fame ends up becoming a set, of sorts, and on that front, Sotto Sotto cinched it.
The Fiery Death of Sotto Sotto, Toronto’s Celebrity Hotspot|Shinan Govani|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For example, some Kaftan-inspired dresses with flowing silhouettes were paired with belts which cinched the waistline.
Chloé Spring/ Summer 2014: Modern Exoticism|Liza Foreman|September 29, 2013|DAILY BEAST
A standout was a seductive black trench with a cinched waist.
Lanvin Spring/ Summer 2014: All That Glitters|Liza Foreman|September 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
After all, the Vatican experts had predicted that a short conclave meant that one of the two frontrunners had cinched the deal.
An Argentine Runner-Up Gets the Catholic Church’s Top Job|Barbie Latza Nadeau|March 13, 2013|DAILY BEAST
They had measurements of what her waist size was when she was cinched in and corseted.
Sally Field on Whether Mary Lincoln Was Bipolar, Oscars & More|Ramin Setoodeh|December 10, 2012|DAILY BEAST
I swung down from my horse on the brink of the creek, cinched the saddle afresh, and rolled a cigarette.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
The bag went over my head quickly and was cinched so tight at the throat that I choked and threw up my freegan pizza.
Little Brother|Cory Doctorow
Johnston and his partner cinched the hogs on in good shape, while the Dutchman hung to the mule.
Cruisings in the Cascades|George O. Shields
They were duly cinched, and the horse turned loose to join the train.
Cruisings in the Cascades|George O. Shields
My teeth, a-chatter with cold, kept me awake, till I cinched a handkerchief around my chin.
The Trail of '98|Robert W. Service

British Dictionary definitions for cinch (1 of 2)

cinch¹

/ (sɪntʃ) /

noun

slang an easy task

slang a certainty

US and Canadian a band around a horse's belly to keep the saddle in positionAlso called (in Britain and certain other countries): girth

informal a firm grip

verb

(often foll by up) US and Canadian to fasten a girth around (a horse)

(tr) informal to make sure of

(tr) informal to get a firm grip on

Word Origin for cinch

C19: from Spanish cincha saddle girth, from Latin cingula girdle, from cingere to encircle

British Dictionary definitions for cinch (2 of 2)

cinch²

/ (sɪntʃ) /

noun

a card game in which the five of trumps ranks highest

Word Origin for cinch

C19: probably from cinch 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

cinch

Origin of cinch

Other definitions for cinch (2 of 2)

Origin of cinch

Words related to cinch

How to use cinch in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cinch (1 of 2)

Word Origin for cinch

British Dictionary definitions for cinch (2 of 2)

Word Origin for cinch