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pinchmore about pinch

pinch

 

  6  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Pinch  \Pinch\,  v.  t. 
  To  seize  by  way  of  theft;  to  steal;  also  to  catch;  to 
  arrest.  [Slang]  --Robert  Barr. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Pinch  \Pinch\,  v.  i. 
  1.  To  act  with  pressing  force;  to  compress;  to  squeeze;  as 
  the  shoe  pinches. 
 
  2.  (Hunt.)  To  take  hold  to  grip,  as  a  dog  does  [Obs.] 
 
  3.  To  spare;  to  be  niggardly;  to  be  covetous.  --Gower. 
 
  The  wretch  whom  avarice  bids  to  pinch  and  spare. 
  --Franklin. 
 
  {To  pinch  at},  to  find  fault  with  to  take  exception  to 
  [Obs.]  --Chaucer. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Pinch  \Pinch\,  n. 
  1.  A  close  compression,  as  with  the  ends  of  the  fingers,  or 
  with  an  instrument;  a  nip. 
 
  2.  As  much  as  may  be  taken  between  the  finger  and  thumb;  any 
  very  small  quantity;  as  a  pinch  of  snuff. 
 
  3.  Pian;  pang.  ``Necessary's  sharp  pinch.''  --Shak. 
 
  4.  A  lever  having  a  projection  at  one  end  acting  as  a 
  fulcrum,  --  used  chiefly  to  roll  heavy  wheels,  etc  Called 
  also  {pinch  bar}. 
 
  {At  a  pinch},  {On  a  pinch},  in  an  emergency;  as  he  could  on 
  a  pinch  read  a  little  Latin. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Pinch  \Pinch\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Pinched};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Pinching}.]  [F.  pincer,  probably  fr  OD  pitsen  to  pinch; 
  akin  to  G.  pfetzen  to  cut,  pinch;  perhaps  of  Celtic  origin. 
  Cf  {Piece}.] 
  1.  To  press  hard  or  squeeze  between  the  ends  of  the  fingers, 
  between  teeth  or  claws,  or  between  the  jaws  of  an 
  instrument;  to  squeeze  or  compress,  as  between  any  two 
  hard  bodies. 
 
  2.  o  seize;  to  grip;  to  bite;  --  said  of  animals.  [Obs.] 
 
  He  [the  hound]  pinched  and  pulled  her  down 
  --Chapman. 
 
  3.  To  plait.  [Obs.] 
 
  Full  seemly  her  wimple  ipinched  was  --Chaucer. 
 
  4.  Figuratively:  To  cramp;  to  straiten;  to  oppress;  to 
  starve;  to  distress;  as  to  be  pinched  for  money. 
 
  Want  of  room  .  .  .  pinching  a  whole  nation.  --Sir  W. 
  Raleigh. 
 
  5.  To  move  as  a  railroad  car  by  prying  the  wheels  with  a 
  pinch.  See  {Pinch},  n.,  4. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  pinch 
  n  1:  a  painful  or  straitened  circumstance:  "the  pinch  of  the 
  recession" 
  2:  an  injury  resulting  from  getting  some  body  part  squeezed 
  3:  a  small  but  appreciable  amount;  "this  dish  could  use  a  touch 
  of  garlic"  [syn:  {touch},  {hint},  {mite},  {jot},  {speck}, 
  {soupcon}] 
  4:  a  sudden  unforeseen  crisis  (usually  involving  danger)  that 
  requires  immediate  action  "he  never  knew  what  to  do  in  an 
  emergency"  [syn:  {emergency},  {exigency}] 
  5:  small  sharp  biting  [syn:  {nip}] 
  6:  a  squeeze  with  the  fingers  [syn:  {tweak}] 
  7:  the  act  of  apprehending  (especially  apprehending  a 
  criminal);  "the  policeman  on  the  beat  got  credit  for  the 
  collar"  [syn:  {apprehension},  {arrest},  {catch},  {collar}, 
  {taking  into  custody}] 
  v  1:  squeeze  tightly  between  the  fingers;  "He  pinched  her 
  behind";  "She  squeezed  the  bottle"  [syn:  {vellicate},  {squeeze}, 
  {twinge},  {tweet},  {nip},  {twitch}] 
  2:  make  ridges  into  by  pinching  together  [syn:  {crimp}] 
  3:  make  off  with  belongings  of  others  [syn:  {pilfer},  {cabbage}, 
  {purloin},  {abstract},  {snarf},  {swipe},  {hook},  {sneak}, 
  {filch},  {nobble},  {lift}] 
  4:  cut  the  top  off  "top  trees  and  bushes"  [syn:  {top}] 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Pinch,  WV  (CDP,  FIPS  63772) 
  Location:  38.40736  N,  81.47983  W 
  Population  (1990):  2695  (1065  housing  units) 
  Area:  9.1  sq  km  (land),  0.1  sq  km  (water)




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