pinch

American  

[pinch] / pɪntʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to squeeze or compress between the finger and thumb, the teeth, the jaws of an instrument, or the like.

2. to constrict or squeeze painfully, as a tight shoe does.

3. to cramp within narrow bounds or quarters.

   The crowd pinched him into a corner.

4. to render (the face, body, etc.) unnaturally constricted or drawn, as pain or distress does.

   Years of hardship had pinched her countenance beyond recognition.

5. to affect with sharp discomfort or distress, as cold, hunger, or need does.

6. to straiten in means or circumstances.

   The depression pinched them.

7. to stint (a person, family, etc.) in allowance of money, food, or the like.

   They were severely pinched by the drought.

8. to hamper or inconvenience by the lack of something specified.

   The builders were pinched by the shortage of good lumber.

9. to stint the supply or amount of (a thing).

10. to put a pinch or small quantity of (a powder, spice, etc.) into something.

11. to roll or slide (a heavy object) with leverage from a pinch bar.

12. Slang.

    1. to steal.

    2. to arrest.

13. 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 orout ).

    Zoom in by pinching the screen.

14. 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, orback ).

15. Nautical. to sail (a ship) so close into the wind that the sails shake slightly and the speed is reduced.

16. Horse Racing, British. to press (a horse) to the point of exhaustion.

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verb (used without object)

1. to exert a sharp or painful constricting force.

   This shoe pinches.

2. to cause sharp discomfort or distress.

   Their stomachs were pinched with hunger.

3. to economize unduly; stint oneself.

   They pinched and scraped for years to save money for a car.

4. Digital Technology. to move the fingers toward or away from each other on a touchscreen (often followed by in orout ).

   Pinching in will zoom in, and pinching out will zoom out.

5. Mining. (of a vein of ore or the like)

   1. to diminish.

   2. to diminish to nothing (sometimes followed byout ).

6. Nautical. to trim a sail too flat when sailing to windward.

noun

1. the act of pinching; nip; squeeze.

2. as much of anything as can be taken up between the finger and thumb.

   a pinch of salt.

3. a very small quantity of anything.

   a pinch of pungent wit.

4. sharp or painful stress, as of hunger, need, or any trying circumstances.

   the pinch of conscience; to feel the pinch of poverty.

5. a situation or time of special stress, especially an emergency.

   A friend is someone who will stand by you in a pinch.

6. pinch bar.

7. Slang. a raid or an arrest.

8. Slang. a theft.

9. Digital Technology. an act or instance of pinching a touchscreen.

idioms

1. with a pinch of salt. salt. Also with a grain of salt

2. 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.

pinch British  

/ pɪntʃ /

verb

1. to press (something, esp flesh) tightly between two surfaces, esp between a finger and the thumb See nip 1

2. to confine, squeeze, or painfully press (toes, fingers, etc) because of lack of space

   these shoes pinch

3. (tr) to cause stinging pain to

   the cold pinched his face

4. (tr) to make thin or drawn-looking, as from grief, lack of food, etc

5. (usually foll by on) to provide (oneself or another person) with meagre allowances, amounts, etc

6. to live frugally because of meanness or to economize

7. (tr) nautical to sail (a sailing vessel) so close to the wind that her sails begin to luff and she loses way

8. (of a vein of ore) to narrow or peter out

9. to remove the tips of (buds, shoots, etc) to correct or encourage growth

10. informal (tr) to steal or take without asking

11. informal (tr) to arrest

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noun

1. a squeeze or sustained nip

2. the quantity of a substance, such as salt, that can be taken between a thumb and finger

3. a very small quantity

4. a critical situation; predicament; emergency

   if it comes to the pinch we'll have to manage

5. sharp, painful, or extreme stress, need, etc

   feeling the pinch of poverty

6. See pinch bar

7. slang a robbery

8. slang a police raid or arrest

9. if absolutely necessary

10. without wholly believing; sceptically

pinch More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing pinch

• feel the pinch
• in a pinch
• with a grain (pinch) of salt

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Other Word Forms

• pinchable adjective
• unpinched adjective

Etymology

Origin of pinch

1250–1300; Middle English pinchen < Anglo-French *pinchier (equivalent to Old French pincier, Spanish pinchar ) < Vulgar Latin *pīnctiāre, variant of *pūnctiāre to prick ( pique ¹ )

Example Sentences

If oil prices fall much further, the U.S. fossil-fuel industry will feel a painful pinch again, oil executives said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Setting up small, automated increases is one of the most effective ways to spend your paycheck on your future self without feeling the pinch today.

From MarketWatch

The move marks an escalation in Beijing’s pressure campaign against Tokyo and could pinch Japan’s economy by squeezing supplies of critical minerals and components used by Japanese factories.

From The Wall Street Journal

Steeper US tariffs on some imported furniture items took effect Thursday, in a move that could add pressure on households already feeling the pinch from elevated costs of living.

From Barron's

Americans are rightly upset about the sustained price pinch for food, energy, housing, autos and other goods since the pandemic.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• cramp
• crush
• hurt
• squeeze
• tweak