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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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